The agriculture sector suffered more than P600-million in damage to crops after four consecutive storms that enhanced the southwest monsoon rains or ‘hanging habagat’ this month, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
In its latest situation report on Sunday, the disaster agency said Mimaropa was the hardest hit region with reported damage of over P431-million followed by Western Visayas with incurred losses reaching more than P168-million.
The NDRRMC said the combined effects of ‘habagat’ and storms Ferdie, Gener, Helen and Igme affected 11,170 farmers and fisherfolk nationwide. The damage covered about 11,000 hectares of rice, corn and high-value crops.
Public infrastructure damage, meanwhile, reached over P22-million. The recent inclement weather made life more difficult to around 1.4 million individuals in affected areas with 25 casualties, 13 injured, and eight missing.
