RAMON, Isabela — To prevent flooding with the expected heavy downpour due to Typhoon Ompong, the Magat Dam on Thursday started releasing water, Carlo Ablan of the National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System’s dam and reservoir division, said.
Ablan said water was released to ease the basin’s 189.42-meter water elevation and as a preventive measure to avoid breaching the 193-meter spilling level.
“The minimal releases would ensure that the reservoir will be at a normal level when the typhoon comes,” Ablan told reporters here on Thursday.
Meanwhile, police officers in Cagayan Valley were barred from leaving their posts and were ask to be ready for deployment and help in search-and-rescue operations, Cagayan Valley police director, Chief Supt. Jose Mario Espino, said.
At least 24 linemen and four foremen from Ilocos and Central Luzon were brought to Cagayan Valley to immediately repair power transmission lines if needed, aside from ensuring the availability of materials to be used, Lilibeth Gaydowen, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines-North Luzon corporate and public affairs officer, said.
“We would see to it that our transmission lines are safe and ready to be repaired immediately, if ever,” Gaydowen told the Philippine News Agency (PNA) in a phone interview. (Bill Visaya/PNA)
