Floods inflict P85-M agri, infra damage in Negros Occ.

SIGN OF LIFE. Coconut palms signal the presence of life amid the chocolate brown floodwaters of Bayawan City farmlands which resulted from three days of non-stop torrential monsoon rains that pounded Negros Island over the weekend. MICHAEL OCAMPO / CONTRIBUTOR

BACOLOD CITY, Philippines–The recent floods that hit 15 towns and cities in Negros Occidental damaged P85.4 million worth of crops, fisheries and irrigation projects, according to the Provincial Agriculturist Office.

Provincial agriculturist Igmedio Tabianan said damage to palay and corn in flood-hit areas reached P57,333,048; fisheries, P10,011,285; irrigation projects, P8 million; and other crops P559,705.

Incessant rains on Oct. 3 to 5 triggered floods and affected the cities of Sipalay, Kabankalan, Himamaylan and La Carlota and the towns of Hinobaan, Cauayan, Candoni, Ilog, Hinigaran, Isabela, Binalbagan, Moises Padilla, La Castellana, Salvador Benedicto and San Enrique.

Hardest hit in terms of damage to crops was Sipalay at P16,160,520 followed by Ilog, P11,997,800; Hinoba-an (P11,956,900); Kabankalan, (P6,976,000); Cauayan (P2,624,000); Himamaylan (P1,984,520);  Candoni (P1,602,480); La Castellana (P1,365,440); Hinigaran (P1,120,760); Moises Padilla (P1,059,728); Binalbagan (P708,400); Isabela (P132,600); La Carlota (P60,000) and Pontevedra (P60,000).

Fishponds and fishing boats in Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Ilog and Hinobaan were damaged.

At least 5 million worth of irrigation facilities was damaged in Sipalay, P1 million in Hinobaan and P2 million in Cauayan.

On Wednesday, the Negros Occidental Sangguniang Panlalawigan had declared the province under a state of calamity.

Acting Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said the declaration of a state of calamity in Negros Occidental allowed them to use additional funds to assist those flood-hit areas.

The provincial government had provided food assistance to 3,738 families in Hinigaran, Himamaylan, Kabankalan, Ilog, Sipalay and Hinobaan.