ILOILO City – The southwest monsoon or habagat enhanced by Typhoon “Egay” left an initial P8.1 million worth of agricultural losses in Negros Occidental.
Around 471.03 hectares of crop areas, specifically rice, have been damaged, or an estimated 358.21 metric tons production losses amounting to P8.1 million, initial data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6 showed yesterday.
Agricultural damages were recorded in the cities of Cadiz, La Carlota, San Carlos and Sipalay, and the towns of Valladolid, Pulupandan, La Castellana, Pontevedra, Candoni, and Cauayan.
Of the areas affected, 21.11 hectares have no chance of recovery (totally damaged) while 449.92 hectares were partially damaged.
DA added that over 487 farmers and fisherfolks in the region were affected by the inclement weather.
The Negros Occidental Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) also recorded livestock damages.
Rains and floods affected 1,190 livestock with damages pegged at P519,000, PDMPD said.
Other provinces in the region – Aklan, Iloilo, Antique, and Guimaras – also incurred agricultural losses due to typhoon-induced torrential rains, but they have yet to submit reports to the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) 6 as of this writing.
NegOcc guv: ‘Follow LGUs, DRRMO mandates
Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson yesterday appealed to the public to follow the mandates of their respective local government units (LGUs) and local disaster risk reduction and management offices (DRRMO) to avoid incidents during times of inclement weather.
Lacson said Negros Occidental was not under any storm signal but the local DRRMOs still provided sufficient warnings to all areas.
Despite the warnings, however, the province and its capital Bacolod City recorded three deaths.
In Bacolod City, 32-year-old Victor Moreno Jr. was swept away by flood on Tuesday, July 25.
The Coast Guard Sub-Station Hinigaran, meanwhile, said Arnold Billojan was found floating around 50 meters off the coast.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Carla Mayang, commander of Coast Guard Station Southern Negros Occidental, said Billojan may have accidentally fallen into the river.
In Murcia, 19-year-old Richard Espinosa was found floating at the river on Wednesday morning, July 27.
Murcia police said the victim was believed to have accidentally fallen into the river while trying to lead his carabao to a safer spot.
Lacson said there is still much to learn about preparedness and saving lives due to the recorded casualties.
A two-day Disaster Risk Reduction Management Summit was also held in the province from July 27 to 28 in order to enhance the rescue response services.
Over 123K residents displaced in WV
Meanwhile, the RDRRMC-6 recorded a total of 29,313 families or 123,108 persons affected in Western Visayas. Of these, 1,649 families or 6,229 persons were served inside 93 evacuation centers (ECs) and 180 families or 672 persons were served outside ECs.
Data also showed a total of 63 totally damaged and 1,249 partially damaged houses in Aklan, Antique, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental
As of yesterday morning, 65 barangays in the region remained flooded, and seven landslide and tornado/destructive wind incidents were recorded.
Also, a total of 12 road sections and a bridge were affected specifically in the provinces of Antique and Negros Occidental.
As Typhoon “Egay” exited the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday, the RDRRMC-6 still advised all LGUs and their respective DRRMOs and the public to continue to be vigilant as a another weather disturbance is threatening the country.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has been monitoring Tropical Storm “Khanun” (international name) outside the PAR.
It was last tracked 1,315 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.
This tropical cyclone might enter PAR late Saturday (July 29) to Sunday (July 30), and is forecast to continuously intensify within the next five days.
It may develop into a typhoon and reach its peak intensity either Monday or Tuesday.
Once inside PAR, the tropical cyclone will be given the local name “Falcon.”
Occasional or monsoon rains may be experienced over the western portions of Luzon and the Visayas beginning this weekend as the tropical cyclone would enhance the habagat, PAGASA added. (With a report from Watchmen Daily Journal and Philippine News Agency)/PN
