Western Visayas logs P27.8-M damage to agriculture from storms, monsoon
By Tara Yap
A FLOODED farmland in Sigma town, Capiz province after heavy rainfall from the ‘habagat’ and tropical storm ‘Crising.’ (Sigma MDRRMO)
ILOILO CITY – Western Visayas has recorded P27.8-million in damage to agriculture from the southwest monsoon or ‘’habagat’’ enhanced by tropical cyclones ‘’Crising,’’ ‘’Dante,’’ and ‘’Emong.’’
No storm signal was raised in the region but heavy rainfall flooded many areas, including agricultural land.
A consolidated report released by the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-6 on Friday, July 25, said 1,774 farmers and 1,588.74 hectares of farm land were affected.
The province of Capiz sustained the biggest damage at P23.67 million, with 1,489 farmers and 1,416.5 hectares of agricultural land affected.
The province of Iloilo recorded P2.26 million in damage, with 157 farmers and 156.93 hectares of agricultural land affected; Aklan province registered P1.78 million in damage with 110 farmers and 1,416.5 hectares of land also affected, and Antique, P148,801, with 18 farmers and almost 11 hectares of land affected.
The Department of Agriculture has yet to release an updated data of damage in the region. These numbers are expected to rise in the coming days.