The Department of Agriculture (DA) said over 1.7 million hectares of rice and corn crops in Luzon may be affected by Super Typhoon “Karding.”

“Based on the combined data of all regions in Luzon, the area of standing crops that may be affected by ‘Karding’ totals to 1,469,037 hectares (75.83 percent of the national standing crops) for rice and 281,322 hectares (52.37 percent of the national standing crops) for corn,” the agriculture department’s Bulletin No. 2 on “Karding” reported.

In preparation for the devastation of “Karding”, the agriculture department said it has activated the DA Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Management (DRRM) Operation Centers.

The field offices of DA have already prepositioned seeds for rice and corn, drugs and biologics for livestock and poultry in safe storage facilities, according to the DA.

The agency said it has already coordinated with local government units (LGUs) counterparts, and other Regional DRRM-related offices in the monitoring of the super typhoon.

The DA said it will also continuously disseminate advisory to the Agricultural Programs Coordinating Officers (APCOs), LGUs, and farmer leaders “for them to disseminate the same information to the community and local farmers for their farm operation activities.”

It will also conduct monitoring of the actual field situation for possible damage and losses that may be incurred in crops, livestock, and fisheries.

The agriculture department bulletin said the center of "Karding" was estimated based on all available data at 175 km East of Infanta, Quezon moving Westward at 20 km/h, adding that it has maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 240 km/h.

“On the forecast track, ‘Karding’ will likely make landfall in the vicinity of the northern portion of Quezon or the southern portion of Aurora tonight. For the remainder of this evening post-landfall through tomorrow early morning (Sept. 26), the Super Typhoon will traverse the landmass of Central Luzon and emerge over the West Philippine Sea via the coastal waters of Zambales or Pangasinan,” it noted.

“This early afternoon through tomorrow early morning: heavy to intense with at times torrential rain is forecast over Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Aurora, Rizal, and the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands. Meanwhile, moderate to heavy with at times intense rain is expected over Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Benguet, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Pangasinan, Cavite, Laguna, the central portion of Quezon, and Camarines Norte. Then light to moderate with at times heavy rain will be experienced over Mindoro Provinces, Marinduque, and the rest of Calabarzon and Bicol Region.”