Local responders rescued three men from a boat that capsized due to a strong river current that occurred after Magat Dam released water, sweeping them away while sailing near Palattao Bridge along Cagayan River in Enrile town of Cagayan province on Saturday, October 4.
Mayor Miguel Decena said the three men had loaded their boat with eight sacks of corn harvest when they were being swept by floods.
One of them was slightly injured and received treatment, Decena added.
In Tuguegarao City, Mayor Maila Ting-Que prodded villagers near low-lying areas to evacuate to higher grounds as floodwaters submerged Pinacanauan Bridge and nearby roads on Saturday afternoon.
At least 500 villagers have initially trooped to the evacuation centers in the city. The water level of the Cagayan River along Buntun Bridge was recorded on Saturday afternoon at nine meters high, a critical level.
In Isabela province, six overflow bridges were submerged in floodwaters on Saturday, as the Magat Dam continuously releases water from its reservoir with 2,258.83-cubic-meter-per-second from its six gates to prevent an overflow amid heavy rains.
The Disaster Risk Reduction Management Offices in Isabela have issued advisories that the flooded overflow bridges closed to traffic were the Annafunan, Gucab, and Fugu in Echague town; Baculud and Cabiseria 8 in the City of Ilagan; and the Cabagan-Santa Maria Bridge.
The Alicaocao bridge in Tuguegarao City remained open to light cars while Turod-Banquero was closed due to repair. The Magat Dam has reached 184.99 meters high as of noon on Saturday, as its water level has been pegged with inflow at 1,573.85 cubic meters per second.
Magat Dam, a source of irrigation water and provider of hydroelectric power, is located on Magat River, a tributary of Cagayan River, at the boundary between the towns of Alfonso Lista in Ifugao and Ramon in Isabela.
In Tuguegarao City, about 500 villagers in low-lying areas along the flooded Pinacanauan overflow bridge and impassable roads along Bonifacio Street in Centro 1, Pinacanauan Avenue, Aguinaldo extension, and Macapagal crossing have evacuated to higher grounds