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CABANATUAN CITY: A ranking irrigation official yesterday allayed
fears that rainfalls brought by Typhoon Frank would lead to the
spilling of the mammoth Pantabangan Dam.
Engr. Antonio Nangel, operations manager of the
National Irrigation Administration-Upper Pampanga River Integrated
Irrigation System said the water elevation of the dam, which
supplies water to over 100,000 hectares of rice fields in central
Luzon, was placed at 200.3 meters as of Sunday.
The elevation, he said, is far below the
spilling level of the dam at 221 meters.
Townsfolk have expressed apprehension that the
continuous rain would be aggravated by release of water from the
dam.
But Nangel said they even cut off the release of
water to farms fields since they could have enough. “We still have
to impound water for the reservoir,” he said.
Pantabangan’s water level was at 199.6 meters
before the typhoon fell.
“Our spilling level is 221 meters, so walang
dapat ipangamba [there’s no worry], all is safe,” he said.
Meanwhile, the provincial disaster coordinating
council readied its forces, composed of police, military,
engineering people and civilian volunteers for any eventualities,
disaster officials said.
-- Armand M. Galang
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