Even as the southwest monsoon rains that induced heavy flooding last week took its toll on lives and property, it also wreaked havoc on crops, livestock, and fisheries, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
In Central Luzon alone, losses in agri and aqua culture was reported to be about P1.1 billion.
BFAR Director Asis Perez said the weather disturbances affected about 3000 aquafarm operators and hundreds of fishermen in the area.
Damage to fishery products was placed at around P377 million while damage to infrastructure and equipment was placed at P10.1 million.
Worst hit province is Pampanga, where most of the fish ponds affected were mostly in the harvest stage, resulting in P262 million estimated damage.
Production loss in Bulacan was approximately P84 million; Bataan, P15 million; Cavite, P6.5 million; and Pangasinan, P5.78 million.
Outside Central Luzon, Camarines Sur province was reported to have suffered P16,715,056 worth of loss from the spoiling of 2883.92 metric tons of unmilled rice.
Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry said that the latest calamity spared the country’s economic export zones and thus had no significant impact on the export industry.
The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), which oversees the operations of the country’s ecozones, said all the ecozones have continued operations. Most of them are located in flood-free areas, especially Laguna ang Batangas where they are in relatively high rounds.
Some companies outside the ecozones, however, have not performed up to capacity because some of the workers could not report for work due to heavy rains and flooded roads.
On the toll on human lives, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC) reported 65 deaths from Habagat – 26 from Metro Manila, 12 from Calabarzon, two from the Ilocos region, and two from Mimaropa.
The monsoon rains also damaged a total of 3,135 homes nationwide. A total of 646,484 persons or 134,809 families were displaced.
Photo: from www.ndtv.com
