La Mesa Dam nearing overflow; other Luzon dams under close watch

Metro Manila, Philippines — Water at La Mesa Dam reached near spilling level on Monday afternoon, Sept. 2, from non-stop rains brought by Tropical Storm Enteng (international name: Yagi).

The 80-meter level was posted at 1 p.m., the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said, rising further by two-tenths of a centimeter an hour later.

“Excess floodwaters in La Mesa Dam will overflow if the dam elevation reaches 80.15 meters,” PAGASA said of the reservoir in Quezon City.

The weather bureau warned people in low areas along the Tullahan River — an overflow outlet — from Quezon City, Valenzuela, and Malabon of possible flooding.

In a news conference on Monday morning, PAGASA also said gates at the Ipo Dam in Bulacan would open to release water at 11 a.m., and Binga Dam as well in Benguet at 1 p.m.

An intensified “Enteng” made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora, on Monday afternoon.

PAGASA is on “flood watch” over the river basins of Agno, Bicol, Cagayan, and NCR/Pasig Marikina Laguna de Bay, as of 1 p.m.

It also issued the same status over the Angat sub-basin and Ambuklao-Binga-San Roque sub-basin.