Typhoon damage to Cagayan crops, infra hits P100 M

BAYOMBONG, Nueva Vizcaya , Philippines   â€“ The damage to crops and infrastructure caused by Typhoon Vinta in Cagayan has reached P100 million, local officials said yesterday.

Two persons were reported to have drowned during the calamity. They were identified as Wilson Lizardo, 72, of Ballesteros town, and Jose Manuel, 52, of Lasam.

Typhoon Vinta, the strongest to hit Cagayan this year, left nine people injured and 153,991 individuals affected.

A state of calamity has been declared in the town of Buguey, one of the areas hit hard by the storm.

Ophelia Parallag, information officer of the Cagayan provincial government, said they are planning to place the whole province under a state of calamity.

As of Friday, the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council (PDRRMC) placed the damage to infrastructure at P48,650,000.

Damage to crops such as rice, corn and fruits was placed at P38,110,626.

Parallag said they expect the amount to increase as the assessment of typhoon damage is ongoing.

Reports said a majority of areas in northern Cagayan are still without power as some electric posts felled by the typhoon have yet to be repaired.

In Ilocos Norte, more than 1,000 houses were either damaged or carried away by the floods, affecting 1,377 families, according to the PDRRMC.

Damage to agriculture and infrastructure was initially placed at P32 million. 

“The damage to agriculture is higher than expected. Up to 60 percent is gone,” Gov. Imee Marcos said.

Vinta destroyed schools, roads, bridges, a hospital, and the Malacañang of the North.

Power and communication lines were restored in some parts of the province last Saturday.