BACOLOD CITY – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office said Negros Occidental sustained P8,022,297.36 in damage to crops, livestock, and fisheries due to the “habagat” or southwest monsoon.
A SECTION of Pontevedra, Negros Occidental is flooded over the weekend due to heavy rains from the southwest monsoon. (Choy Lando Photography via Facebook)
Eleven barangays reported damage to rice and corn amounting to P7,390,214.16 and four barangays reported P398,112 in damage to fisheries. Fifteen barangays reported P233,971.20 in livestock damage.
Assessment is ongoing to determine the extent of damage.
As of 7 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, 120 barangays in San Enrique, Moises Padilla, Hinoba-an, Ilog, Pontevedra, Cauayan, Hinigaran, Valladolid, Murcia, La Castellana, Pulupandan, Isabela, Binalbagan, and the cities of La Carlota, Bago, Sipalay, Kabankalan, and Himamaylan were affected by the southwest monsoon.
Irene Bel Ploteña, head of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD), said that 20,760 families or 65,150 individuals have been evacuated due to flooding.
Ploteña said 2,981 families are staying inside and 10,145 families are staying outside evacuation centers.
The Bago City Hospital resumed normal operations on Sunday after it temporarily suspended consultations due to flooding on Saturday, September 14.
Meanwhile, a non-propelled barge loaded with limestone ore partially sunk in the sea of Sitio Muntay, Barangay Maricalum, Sipalay City, Negros Occidental on Saturday, September 14, due to rough seas and strong winds from the southwest monsoon and tropical cyclone ''Ferdie.''
Ensign James Carbajosa, acting commander of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)-southern Negros Occidental, said that B/Big Job and B/Big Sun took shelter in Barangay Maricalum at 2 p.m. due to bad weather.
These two barges bound to Palawan were each loaded with 7,500 metric tons of limestone ore and manned by a total of 21 crew members from Bohol.
Carbajosa said that a portion of the limestone in the B/Big Job spilled to the sea when the barge slightly turned on its side due to strong winds.
He said they have already informed the company about the matter but could not yet tow the barge due to the weather.
Carbajosa said that the load must be transferred to an empty barge before the barge can be towed.
He said that the spilled limestone has no threat to the marine environment. However, they are awaiting for the assessment of higher PCG headquarters regarding the possible coral damage from the aground barge.
Carbajosa said that this can be considered force majeure as the incident was caused by a natural disaster.
As of Monday, September 16, only the B/Big Sun has been removed from the area, and all crew members temporarily sought shelter at the anchorage area, Carbajosa said.