FLOODED. A flooded area in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental as shown in a Facebook post of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office on Monday (Sept. 26, 2022). Some 119 families were evacuated while PHP2.23 million worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure reported in the southern city following heavy rains brought by Typhoon Karding. (Photo courtesy of Sipalay City DRRMO)
BACOLOD CITY – The city of Sipalay in southern Negros Occidental has reported PHP2.23 million worth of damage to agriculture and infrastructure in the aftermath of the onslaught of Typhoon Karding, the Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas (OCD-6) said in a report on Tuesday.
Some 66 rice farmers incurred an estimated production loss of PHP736,993 while a flood control project in Barangay Manlucahoc was partially damaged at a cost of PHP1.5 million.
“These were the effects of heavy rains brought by southwest monsoon in Western Visayas,” the report said.
Some 245 families were evacuated, including 119 families also in Sipalay; 110 families in Binalbagan; and 16 families in Cauayan, but they returned home on Tuesday.
Residents of Sipalay also experienced power interruption and unstable mobile network connection on Sunday.
On Monday, classes in 24 out of 31 local government units (LGUs) in Negros Occidental were canceled due to bad weather.
Meanwhile, the OCD-6 report said the Department of Social Welfare and Development-6 distributed PHP702,016 worth of food and non-food items to affected families in the three localities.
Sipalay received relief goods amounting to PHP498,426; Binalbagan, PHP108,894; and Cauayan, PHP94,696, along with hot meals provided by the LGUs.
Provincial Disaster Management Program Division head Zeaphard Caelian said though Negros Occidental was not directly affected by Typhoon Karding, all disaster risk reduction and management centers in the province was put on red alert on Sunday for “close monitoring, consolidation of reports, and coordination with concerned agencies and stakeholders”.(PNA)
