Text about San Roque Dam a hoax – Espino
WHILE the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center (PDRRMC) was busy assuring local government officials of the absence of any impending threat of water releases from the San Roque Dam, an anonymous group was busy trying to cause panic by circulating a rumor about a “warning text message” purportedly from the provincial administrator.
Gov. Amado Espino Jr. and Provincial Administrator Rafael Baraan were incensed on learning that rumors about a text message supposedly from the latter warning towns of huge water releases of San Roque Dam anew down the Agno River similar to what happened at the height of Typhoon Pepeng last year, had spread like wildfire and caused some panic.
To underscore the ludicrousness of the malicious text, Espino said not even three typhoons as strong as typhoon “Juan” cannot easily fill the San Roque Dam at its level at that time.
The quick response of the capitol employees to dispel the false rumor through text and media finally contained the situation.
Espino went on to assure the province that the deluge at the height of Typhoon “Pepeng” in October last year, would not be repeated since a committee will now be consulted before any plan to release water from the dam can be effected.
He said the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council also has a direct line with the San Roque Dam officials.
The huge losses and loss of many lives last year were attributed to the faulty protocol of San Roque Dam and its failure to communicate efficiently with the proivnical government.
MALICIOUS LIE
The text read: “Urgent advsory 2 all mayors @ cops and recdents n lgus along the agno rivr, SAN ROQUE DAM opning all 6 gates at 2 metrs per second 2 arrive wthin 8 hours n carmen frm now.We urge immediate evacuation of fmlies lvng along the agnorvr @ nothe low lyng areas – RAFFY BARAAN PROV’L ADM (0927-417-0792)”.
“We condemn whoever is spreading lies that I am circulating text messages to warn people that San Roque dam is discharging unprecedented volume of water,” Baraan said in a statement released to the media.
“The truth is as of 9 a.m. today (Thursday) , San Roque dam water level (is) at 268.81 meters,” he said quoting a report from the National Power Corporation and the flood forecasting and warning system for dam operations.
San Roque Power Corporation Vice-President Tommy Valdez said that the water level as of 11 a.m. of Thursday was still 10 meters below the spilling (normal high) level of 280 masl.
He explained that the outflow of 209 cubic meters per second (cms) was the result of power generation. The power turbines as of 11 a.m. are producing 302 megawatts of power. There is no water outflow when the turbines are not running, he clarified.
He further clarified there could be no water outflow when the turbines are not running,
Based on the regular dam updates at the height of the typhoon, the water level hardly rose significantly. At 3 p.m. on Wednesday, the level was at 265.33 masl. Twenty hours later on Thursday, the water level was still pegged at 268.76 masl with inflow of 649 cms. even after Ambuklao and Binga Dams opened their spillway gates.
Baraan pointed out that although Binga and Ambuklao were releasing water from their reservoirs, there was still no possibility of water spill from San Roque Dam.
He assured the public that new measures have since been adopted to avoid a repeat of the Pepeng experience after a series of dialogue between the NPC-SRPC and adjacent local government units were held.
The provincial government for its part embarked on the massive clearing of al river tributaries to mitigate flooding.
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