By: ROEL T. AMAZONA
TACLOBAN CITY- The continuous rain brought by a low pressure area (LPA) that affected the region last week resulted to the destructions of crops and infrastructure worth over P100 million.
Reports reaching the regional office of the Office of Civil Defense(OCD), damage to infrastructure reached P75 million while agricultural products, mostly, palay, were also destroyed amounting to P34.72 million.
The flooding that hit the region affected a total of 5,256 hectares of rice fields with Leyte sustaining the heaviest damage at P18.2 million.
Of the 5, 256 hectare affected, 2,249 was totally damage and 3,007 was partially damage.
Areas with reported damages on agriculture in Leyte were the towns of Sta. Fe, MacArthur, Mayorga, Dagami, Pastrana, Capoocan, Kananga and Baybay City with a total damage worth of P18.12 million.
All are rice producing areas of the province.
Damages in crops in Samar were reported by the municipal governments of Basey and Sta. Rita amounting to P16 million.
In Eastern Samar, the municipal government of Hernani reported P224,100 worth of damage to crops while in Northern Samar, the town of Mapanas reported a total of P298,800 damage to crops affecting 35 farmers.
In Southern Leyte, the towns of Hinunangan, Macrohon, San Francisco and Silago reported loss of their palay production with total value of P51,388.
The flooding caused by LPA also resulted to landslides that damaged roads in several towns in Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern Samar, and Northern Samar.
The affected areas were the Tigbao-Pulak-Sta. Fe in Sta. Fe and Daang Maharlika Road in Brgy. Cabuynan, Tanauan; Daang Maharlika Road in Brgy. Balinsasayao, Abuyog town; Daang Maharlika Road in Brgy. Polahongon, Brgy. Baliacao and the Tacloban-Baybay South Road in Mahaplag and the Abuyog-Silago Road in Brgy. Hampipila, Abuyog.
Also damaged were the Junction Buenavista-Lawaan-Marabut in Brgy. Sto. Nino, Quinapondan, Eastern Samar and the Daang Maharlika Road, San Isidro Ferry Terminal- Caglanipao Section in Brgy. Mabuhay, San Isidro, Northern Samar.
In Southern Leyte, landslides were also reported in Brgy. Pancho Villa, Agas-Agas, Kahupian and Brgy. Olisahan in Sogod town and in Dinaghan, Padre Burgos.
Rockslide due to the incessant rain also occurred in Bil-atan, Brgy. Camang, San Ricardo, Southern Leyte.
