At least 74 dead, damage tops P14 billion due to Ompong

September 18, 2018

Deaths from Typhoon Ompong went up to at least 74, majority in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), while damage to agriculture was recorded at more than P14 billion, officials said Tuesday. A consolidated partial report of the Philippine National Police (PNP) showed most fatalities were in the CAR with 60, while 10 were recorded by the Cagayan Valley police and two by the central Luzon police office and one each from the Ilocos Region and NCR police offices. The PNP report said  55 were missing, of which 52 were recorded Cordillera. Two persons were reported missing in the Ilocos Region and one could still not be found in NCR. Damage from Typhoon Ompong has surpassed P14 billion, the National Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said. The report noted that damage to rice crops was estimated at P 8,966,629,281.28  followed by corn, P 4,496,980,920.44, high value crops worth P788,116,709.30. Agriculture infrastructure damage amounted to P82,002,470 and livestock and poultry damage was a total of P 5,508,250. It noted that in CAR there about 171,932 farmers affected by the typhoon. Number of damaged homes in the Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, central Luzon and CAR reached a total of 1,264, of which 130 were destroyed and 1,134 were partially damaged. Aside from Mayoyao municipality in Ifugao, the NDRRMC said Kalinga province was also placed under state of calamity based on the Sangguniang Panlalawigan resolution it issued last September 16. NDRRRMC report said families affected by Ompong in Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, NCR and CAR increased to 218,492. A total of 61,709 families or 236,060 individuals were displaced, of which a total of 43,603 families or 162,399 persons were being served inside the 1,780 evacuation centers in the affected regions. Robina Asido/DMS