Marcos orders preemptive release of water dams in Luzon ahead of Kristine's landfall

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday ordered the preemptive release of water in dams in Luzon ahead of the expected landfall of Tropical Storm «Kristine.»

During the situation briefing at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) Headquarters in Camp Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Marcos said that Kristine developed as a weather disturbance pretty quickly and dumped so much water overnight.

«We have to watch this carefully because we're just beginning. This is just the start of the rainfall. So, yes, we're alright for now but it seems inevitable that it will overflow or we will release the water. So let's already start thinking about the downstream areas that will be hit when we are forced to open some of the gates to release, to lower the water. But let's plan carefully,» Marcos said.

The President suggested measured and slow release of water from dams to prevent overflow of dams and for dams to have «breathing room» once heavier rains dump water on them.

«Maybe what we can do is to do a measured response. Let's decrease the water level even if they're not that high so that downstream communities would not be affected,» Marcos said.

«Let's release water so that when heavy rains arrive, we've already lowered the water but we also have a little breathing room, we have a little area to watch that we won't reach high water level,» he added.