Storm Paeng agri, infra damage in Cagayan hits P39.25 million

An aerial shot shows residents wading through a flooded rice field at a village in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan province, north of Manila on October 30, 2022, a day after Tropical Storm Paeng struck, (AFP)

TUGUEGARAO CITY- Damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by Severe Tropical Storm Paeng (international name: Nalgae) in Cagayan has reached P39.25 million, according to a disaster risk reduction management report released on Friday.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has pegged agriculture damage at P38.98 million.

Damage on corn farms reached P14.15 million with 720 affected farmers while palay farms sustained P12.56 million in damage and affected 350  farmers.

Fishery damage was pegged at P2.63 million while P9.63 million were for vegetables and other high value crops like various fruits.

Livestock losses reached P263,120, mostly in the towns of Lal-lo and Amulung and Tuguegarao City.

The damage estimate, however, is expected top increase as assessment and validation of field reports are ongoing, the PDRRMO added.

The Tuguegarao City council unanimously approved on Nov. 3 a resolution that placed the city under a state of calamity due to the “massive floods” brought by Paeng.

The council noted that the flood-affected villagers need “emergency assistance” and to uplift their “morale” due to the massive floods affecting families.

City Mayor Maila Ting-Que earlier suggested on Wednesday for the declaration of a state of calamity to speed up assistance to typhoon-affected families.

The damaged crops, infrastructure and other properties in the city are still being assessed and validated.

“We are looking into crop seeds, gasoline subsidy and fertilizers as assistance,” Ting-Que said over the phone on Friday.

The city recorded that 11,482 families or 39,242 people in 40 barangays (villages) were affected by the storm which hit the country last Oct. 29.

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