OFF TO SAFETY. Families are shown being rescued and evacuated in Barangay Santa Maria, Lagonoy town in Camarines Sur province due to flooding. As of 9:30 a.m. Thursday (Dec. 22, 2022), Gremil Alexis Naz, Office of Civil Defense-Bicol spokesperson, said a total of 1,555 families or 6,118 persons are still displaced in the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur due to the heavy rains brought by the northeast monsoon and shear line. (Photo from Edmero Camarines Sur's Facebook account)
LEGAZPI CITY – At least PHP57.7 million worth of crops, irrigation and flood control projects were destroyed as Bicol Region experienced heavy rains due to the northeast monsoon and shear line earlier this week, according to the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) in the region on Thursday.
In an interview, Gremil Alexis Naz, OCD-Bicol spokesperson, said the initial consolidated damage reports came from the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Catanduanes.
"As of today (Dec. 22, 2022), the 9:30 a.m report for Albay, the cost of damage in agriculture is PHP755,698, for Camarines Sur damage in corn reached PHP12.7 million, Camarines Norte crops, PHP33,990, while in Catanduanes damage to crops, rice, high-value crops reached PHP39.17 million. A total of PHP5 million worth of damage to local infrastructures were reported in Lupi town, Camarines Sur, and the National Irrigation Administration also reported PHP50,000 in damage," Naz said.
The Department of Agriculture said 2,479.6 hectares of agriculture crops including rice, high-value crops, coconut and fisheries were destroyed.
"At least 1,939 farmers and fisherfolk were affected by the weather disturbance," Naz said.
OCD-Bicol also recorded 240 flooding incidents at 35 local government units (LGUs) in Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Naga City.
"A total of 1,555 families or 6,118 persons are still displaced in the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur. From this, 1,455 families or 5,739 individuals are staying inside evacuation centers and 100 families or 379 persons are outside evacuation centers," he said.
At least 12 rain-induced landslides were also reported in Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.
Meanwhile, the Department of Public Works and Highways in Bicol said all national roads and bridges in the region are now passable.
"A total of 51 local roads and bridges are still affected by the weather disturbance. Eleven LGUs also reported 15 power interruptions due," he said. (PNA)
