Tuguegarao evacuates residents after warning from Magat Dam

November 28, 2020

Tuguegarao City pre-emptively evacuated its residents living in low-lying areas following a water discharge warning from Magat Dam on Saturday.



Mark Timbal, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) deputy spokesman said evacuated were residents living in low-lying areas in barangays Linao and Annafunan, Tuguegarao.


"The National Irrigation Administration – Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA MARIIS) Dam and Reservoir Division issued a warning for dam discharge, today, at 5 am, due to the continuous rains from the current low-pressure area affecting the region,"


"Additional spillway was opened with total water discharge at 768 cubic m per second at 10am," he added.


Timbal said last Thursday, "NIA- MARIIS issued an initial warning on the commencement of flood precaution period in preparation for the rainfall to be brought by the LPA affecting the area".


"The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) earlier provided NIA MARIIS with the forecast rainfall during the LPA period," he said.


Further flood warning notifications were sent by NIA-MARIIS and likewise the Cagayan Valley Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC 2) issued precautionary advisories to the Cagayan Valley DRRMCs, Timbal added.


Timbal said following the warning the LGUs of Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Solana, Amulung, Alcala, Gattaran, Lasam, Lallo, Camalaniugan, Aparri in Cagayan as well as Ilagan City, Tumauini, Delfin Albano, Cabagan, Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, San Pablo in Isabela are monitoring the river levels and implementing precautionary measures.


Timbal said, according to Cagayan Valley regional disaster risk reduction and management council, residents of Brgys Linao and Annafunan of Tugue have been evacuated as a precaution.


"Residents cooperated with local authorities, being accustomed to these precautionary evacuation activities, and are now being housed in designated core shelters," he said. Robina Asido/DMS