State of calamity declared in Banaue

BANAUE, Ifugao, Philippines — The municipal government yesterday placed Banaue under a state of calamity due to flash floods and landslides spawned by the southwest monsoon or habagat.

Mayor Joel Bungallon said the flash floods displaced at least 825 farmers and damaged 679 hectares of agricultural lands.

Bungallon said that as of noon yesterday, the monsoon’s damage to agriculture reached P46.37 million and P2.4 million to livestocks, poultry and fishery industry.

The Banaue agriculure office said 17 of 18 barangays were hit by flash and mudslides.

Data from the Department of Agriculture (DA) showed different figures. It said the amount of damage to agriculture caused by the monsoon climbed to P20.17 million yesterday from 14.6 million the other day.

The flash floods affected 783 farmers and 346 hectares of agricultural areas, the DA said.

Production losses increased to 928 metric tons, which include rice, high value crops and livestock.

Authorities have yet to determine the amount of damage to properties and infrastructure.

Aside from Ifugao province, Sultan Kudarat in Mindanao also incurred agricultural losses due to bad weather, the DA said.