MANILA, Philippines — The death toll from Severe Tropical Storm Maring increased to 40 yesterday with the recovery of the remains of another victim in Cagayan, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said yesterday.
The fatality was believed to have drowned at the height of the storm.
Twenty-three of the casualties have been verified by the NDRRMC.
Ilocos Sur logged the most number of deaths with 14. Benguet followed with nine; Pangasinan, seven; Palawan, five; Cagayan, three, and one each in Ilocos Norte and La Union.
The amount of damage to agriculture increased to P1.9 billion as more than 69,800 farmlands in Bicol, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Central Visayas, the Cordilleras, Ilocos, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Soccsksargen (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) were not spared from Maring’s wrath.
Rice accounted for 72.26 percent of the damage with the total volume amounting to P1.4 billion.
Corn accounted for 7.7 percent of the damage amounting to P144.9 million.
Irrigation and agriculture facilities accounted for 7.53 percent of the damage valued at P140.6 million.
The Department of Agriculture has yet to validate the figures. – Catherine Talavera