Ambuklao, Binga dams release water amid 'habagat' rains
Published Jul 7, 2025 11:46 am
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Updated Jul 7, 2025 03:41 pm
PAGASA
Ambuklao and Binga dams in Benguet continued releasing water on Monday, July 7, as rains brought by the southwest monsoon (habagat) persisted over parts of Luzon, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
As of 8 a.m., one spillway gate remained open at Ambuklao Dam, down from two the previous day.
Its water level was recorded at 751.39 meters, slightly below the normal high water level of 752 meters.
For Binga Dam, two spillway gates remained open, reduced from three on Sunday, with the water level at 573.45 meters, which is below its 575-meter normal high.
Water discharged from the two dams, part of a series of three cascading dams, flows downstream to San Roque Dam in Pangasinan.
San Roque’s water level was at 235.58 meters, which is still 44 meters below its 280-meter normal high.
Despite controlled releases and water levels remaining below critical thresholds, PAGASA advised residents in downstream communities to take precautionary measures against possible flooding.
These include Barangay Ambuclao in Bokod, Benguet (downstream of Ambuklao Dam), and Barangays Dalupirip and Tinongdan in Itogon, Benguet (downstream of Binga Dam).
Other major dams monitored by PAGASA remain below spilling levels as of Monday morning.
Tropical cyclone update
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon continues to affect parts of Luzon, though its intensity has weakened following the exit of Severe Tropical Storm “Bising” (international name “Danas”) from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 8 a.m. Monday.
Based on PAGASA’s 11 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin, Bising weakened from a typhoon into a severe tropical storm with maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts up to 125 kph.
The storm was last spotted 605 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northward at 35 kph.
Bising is forecast to move north-northeast over the next 12 hours before turning north over the East China Sea by Tuesday morning, July 8.
It is expected to turn westward by Tuesday afternoon, make landfall over Eastern China, and dissipate into a remnant low by Wednesday, July 9.
As Bising moves farther away, its enhancement of the habagat weakens, though heavy rainfall is expected to persist in Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur over the next 24 hours.
Scattered light to heavy monsoon rains may continue to affect other parts of western Luzon.
The habagat is also expected to bring strong to gale-force gusts, especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to the winds.
On Monday, these conditions are expected in Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Masbate, and Romblon.
On Tuesday, the gusty winds will continue in Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Zambales, Bataan, Quezon, Masbate, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan.