Floods damage P65.5-M worth of crops, roads in Oriental Mindoro

MANILA, Philippines – The damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by flooding in Oriental Mindoro has reached P65.5 million, authorities said Friday.

In its latest report, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said that losses to agriculture were estimated at P28.347 million as 1,229.5 hectares of farm land went underwater in 45 villages in Naujan. The NDRRMC added that 628 farmers were affected in the province.

Damage to infrastructure in the same town was estimated at P37.3 million. Affected were the provincial and village roads in 67 villages, road shoulders in four villages, and three bridges.

Aside from Nauhan, also flooded were the towns of Mansalay, Pola, Baco and Calapan City, the NDRRMC said, adding flood waters have subsided in other affected towns.

In Capiz, rice fields were submerged in water in 100 villages in 12 municipalities and one city. The Mancasul River in Sigma town also overflowed, the NDRRMC said.

Likewise, the Buayahan Spillway and bamboo bridge in Balugo Banica River in Negros Oriental was declared impassable as of March 28, the NDRRMC added.

Flood waters in the 14 effected villages in Tacloban City and Palo, Leyte, and in nine villages in Catubig, Northern Samar have subsided.

Aside from the damages, the NDRRMC reported that the body of a boy, Angelo Lobos Sergio, 8, of Barangay (village) Zone 3, San Roque, Northern Samar who was reported missing on March 25, was found on March 27.

A total of 4,003 families or 17,578 persons have been affected by the floods but of this number only 782 persons were evacuated, including residents in two villages in Sagay City and two villages in Cadiz City, both in Negros Occidental.

Continuous heavy rains were caused by the tail-end of a cold front affecting Luzon and Visayas, the NDRRMC said.