CAMP OLIVAS, Pampanga — Thousands of Central Luzon residents, especially those in upper Pampanga River and Agno River, were placed on alert Tuesday as the gates of Pantabangan Dam remain open, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Service Administration (PAGASA) disclosed Tuesday.

Flood Forecasting and Warning System for Dam Operations (FFWSDO) said the Pampanga River is the third largest river in the Philippines which traverses the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Tarlac, and Quezon while the Agno River is the fifth largest river which traverses the Benguet province.

Prior to this, Chief Superintendent Leon Nilo A. dela Cruz, Police Regional Office 3 (PRO3) director, instructed his municipal police chiefs and provincial police directors to take precautionary measures in case of emergency during the release of water from dams.

Reports said that on Monday morning, Pantabangan Dam continued to spill 150 cubic meters per second (cms) of water, with two gates open and a total opening of 3.2 meters. Its reservoir water level (RWL) is now at 220.15 meters above mean sea level (AMSL) and is only 0.85 meters below the normal level of 221.0 m AMSL.

“Although light rains still prevail over the watershed, the Pantabangan Dam spillways will remain open until the inflow into the reservoir will become stable,” the report said.