Luzon dams near spilling levels as monsoon rains continue

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon "Jose" is still enhancing the southwest monsoon or "Habagat" which continues to affect Luzon, the state weather bureau said Tuesday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its latest bulletin that the Ilocos region and Central Luzon will experience monsoon rains which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have occasional rains while Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA has said that "Jose" will not hit the Philippines. The typhoon, however, has enhanced the Habagat that has been dumping heavy rains, causing some dams in Luzon reach their near-critical levels.

According to the agency's latest data, the water level in La Mesa Dam, which is located in Quezon City, has reached 79.50 meters, close to its spilling level of 80.15 meters.

Water from the La Mesa Dam flows to the Tullahan River that stretches through Quezon City and the cities of Malabon, Valenzuela and Caloocan in the northern part of the metro.

The Ipo, Binga, and Caliraya dams are also near spilling levels.

The weather bureau said the eye of the typhoon was located at 745 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 165 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 200 kph.

"Jose" is forecast to move north northwest at 13 kph and leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday.