Marikina River starts to overflow, says official

A portion of the Marikina River, one of the areas that suffered the worst damage from Tropical Storm Ondoy in 2009, has started overflowing on Thursday due to heavy downpour, according to GMA News’ “24 Oras" newscast. The Tumana portion of the Marikina River has reached its spilling level, according to “24 Oras" citing engineer Rosalita Barte, a technical personnel of the Manggahan Floodway. The water level in Tumana has reached 15.16 meters, exceeding the spilling level of 13.8 meters, Barte said.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV Marikina authorities plan to evacuate the people from the area once the water level reaches 17 meters, "24 Oras" reported. Barte, however, told GMA News Online that if the downpour remains “light" as it is, officials expect the water level in the said of the portion of the Marikina River to subside. The engineer added that Manggahan Floodway has opened eight of its flood gates to allow the water level to subside. Meanwhile, a hydrologist from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) told GMA News Online that the water level in Angat Dam, Metro Manila’s primary water source, remains below spilling level. In an interview, PAGASA hydrologist Roy Badilla said the water in Angat remains at 195.51 meters above sea level. The dam’s spilling level is at 210 meters, Badilla said. A rain volume of 750 to 800 more millimeters needs to be dumped in Angat Dam to make it reach its spilling level, Badilla added. “Hindi rin naman tuluy-tuloy ang pag-uulan, so kung hindi tuloy-tuloy na ganoon kalakas ang ulan, hindi rin maaabot ang spiling level," he said. In another interview on the same newscast, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) acting administrator Dr. Nathaniel Servando said Thursday downpour may be compared with 30 percent of the rain dumped by Ondoy in 2009. Servando also expects heavy rain to continue until Friday.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV “Habang patuloy na kumikilos pahilaga ang tropical storm na si Falcon, inaasahan natin na patuloy ang habagat na nagbibigay ng pag-ulan dito sa Metro Manila, kasama na ang kanlurang bahagi ng Luzon, Southern Luzon, at ng Visayas, although ang pagbuhos ay pabugsu-pabugso," the state weather bureau official said. — VS, GMA News