36 villages flooded as Bustos Dam spills

MALOLOS , Philippines —  Thirty-six barangays in Bulacan were submerged yesterday as water was released from Bustos Dam amid continuous rains spawned by Typhoon Fabian and the southwest monsoon.

Eighteen barangays in Paombong, nine in Hagonoy and three each in Guiguinto, Balagtas and Marilao were inundated in floodwaters that rose up to three meters.

As of 11 a.m., Lias Road in Marilao and Sto. Niño and Sta. Monica roads in Hagonoy were not passable to light vehicles.

Records from the Operation Center of the Bulacan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office showed that Bustos Dam started releasing water at 28 cubic meters per second at around 6 a.m. when its elevation breached the spilling level of 17 meters. The water level at the time was monitored at 17.34 meters.

The dam stopped releasing water at 11 a.m. when the elevation was back at 17 meters.

The water level in Angat and Ipo dams is still below its spilling mark of 210 meters and 101 meters, at 185.72 meters and 95.88 meters, respectively, yesterday.