BACOLOD CITY – The province of Negros Occidental sustained P10 million in damage to livestock from the El Niño phenomenon.
The Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) said 11,556 heads of various livestock have died from El Niño.
Dr. Placeda Lemana, provincial veterinarian, said 10,000 chicken, 400 piglets, 40 carabaos, and 100 goats suffered from dehydration and eventually died to extreme heat.
The municipality of Isabela was the most affected, with 595 distressed households and 5,152 livestock deaths, resulting in P5,956,850 in damages.
The drought affected 870 households in 95 barangays in 21 local government units (LGUs) in the province. It damaged 183.15 hectares of pasture land valued at P2,685,500.
One-hundred hectares of pasture land in Barangay Gargato in Hinigaran incurred the biggest damage amounting to P1 million.