MANILA — Ambuklao and Binga dams started releasing water on Wednesday due to heavy rains brought by typhoon Egay, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

PAGASA hydrologist Elmer Caringal said Ambuklao Dam's level rose by almost 3 meters in the past 24 hours.

"Ang tinaas ng Ambuklao within 24 hours nasa 2.99 meters, almost 3 meters. So nag-decide ng pamunuan ng Ambuklao na magbawas sila ng tubig," Caringal told ABS-CBN News.

"By 11 a.m. today, nagbukas sila ng one gate, 0.5 meters, may total syang 60 cubic meters per second (cms)," he added.

(Ambuklao's water level rose by 2.99 meters, almost 3 meters in 24 hours. Its management decided to release some of the water. At 11 a.m. today, they opened one gate, 0.5 meters, with a total of 60 cubic meters per second.)

The Binga dam also opened its gates, with 65 cms water discharge.

"Cascading dam ito, Ambuklao, Binga. Yung pakakawalan ng Binga, sasaluhin ng San Roque, etong San Roque, mababa naman sya. Elevation ng San Roque, 228.25 malaki laki pa, 41 meters pa ang kailangan," Caringal said.

(These are cascading dams. Water released by Binga will be caught by San Roque, where the water level is still low. It's still at 228.25, it needs 41 meters more.)

These dams cater primarily to power generation, with small allocations to irrigation and domestic use.

Meanwhile, Magat and Angat Dam registered small increments in their water level, after their watersheds received smaller amount of rainfall, Caringal said.

The duration of water release from the dams will depend on the inflow of water from upstream.