Zamboanga flash floods damage hits P28 million

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — Infrastructure, agricultural crops and marine products worth more than P28 million were damaged in flash floods that hit 11 barangays in this city on Friday, local agencies reported yesterday. 

City agriculturist Carmencita Sanchez said 161.7 hectares of rice fields, 10.96 hectares of vegetable farms, a hectare of corn field, an 8,000-square-meter peanut farm, 480 hectares of seaweed farm and 214. 4 hectares of fishponds were damaged.

Sanchez said at least 664 farmers were affected and provided assistance. 

The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) said a slope protection structure incurred damage amounting to P13 million. 

More than 700 families were evacuated to higher grounds.

Elmer Apolinario, CDRRMO chief, said the flash floods were due to incessant rains spawned by the southwest monsoon.

Apolinario said the amount of rainfall was equivalent to the volume that fell in the whole month of September last year.