CLEARING OPS The Department of Public Works and Highways-Aurora District Engineering Office conducts clearing operations along the section of Nueva Ecija-Aurora road in Maria Aurora, Aurora when a landslide hit due to continuous heavy rains on Friday (Jan. 6, 2023). Non-stop rains have also triggered floods in some areas of Aurora. (Photo courtesy of DPWH Region 3)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The continuous moderate to occasionally heavy rains since Thursday triggered flooding and landslides in some parts of Aurora.
Based on the situational report of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) regional office in Central Luzon (DPWH-3) on Friday, portions of the Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road were hit by landslides resulting in the temporary closure of some sections of the road network.
The K0174+300, K0195+400 and K0196+200 sections of the Nueva Ecija - Aurora Road in Maria Aurora and San Luis, both in Aurora province are impassable to all types of vehicles as they were hit by landslides.
On the other hand, one lane is only passable at the sections of the K0192+200 and K0174+300 of the said road network.
Clearing operations are ongoing, said District Engineer Roderick Andal, chief of the DPWH-Aurora District Engineering Office.
Andal advised motorists bound for and leaving the province to take the A. Castañeda – Ma. Aurora – San Luis Road.
Meanwhile non-stop rains have also triggered floods in some parts of the province, said the Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).
Most affected by the flooding were some areas in the towns of San Luis and Baler.
Class suspension
Aurora Governor Christian Noveras declared the suspension of classes Friday morning.
In Nueva Ecija, 16 towns also suspended classes at all levels, both in public and private schools.
In Tarlac, the local governments of Capas, Bamban, San Jose and Concepcion issued the same directive.
In Bulacan, nine LGUs also suspended classes.
3 Bulacan dams reach spill level
Meanwhile, the water level of the three big dams in Bulacan has reached their spilling level.
As of 9 a.m. Friday, the water elevation of Angat Dam was monitored at 216 meters, which is four meters higher than the normal high water level of 212.
The water level at Ipo Dam was measured at 101.51 meters against its spilling level of 101 meters and Bustos Dam at 16. 86 meters compared to its spilling level of 17.00 meters.
Katrina Anne Bernardo Balingit, chief of the Bulacan Provincial Public Affairs Office, said that Angat Dam has been releasing a total of 803 cubic meters per second (cms) of water from its three spill gates while Ipo Dam's six radial gates are discharging 1,009.77 cms of water.
On the other hand, Balingit said that Bustos Dam raised its Sluice Gate 3 to three meters and deflated its Rubber Gates 3 for a total water discharge of 387 cms.
"Kindly be informed that the release of water through the Angat Dam spillway shall increase rapidly soon due to continuous inflows to the reservoir. The public is strongly advised to stay away from the river due to the high risk of flood,” she said in a statement. (PNA)
