'Ineng' damage exceeds P1 billion

MANILA, Philippines - The amount of agriculture and infrastructure damage caused by Typhoon "Ineng" has exceeded P1 billion.

The typhoon has damaged about P1.08 billion worth of infrastructure, agriculture products and irrigation, according to a report by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Agriculture damage totaled P536.39 million while the amount of damaged infrastructure hit P552.37 million.

Cordillera was the most affected region, sustaining agriculture infrastructure damage worth P519.68 million.

Ilocos region sustained P489.93 million in damage while Cagayan recorded P61.79 million. Damage in Central Luzon, meanwhile, amounted to P17.36 million.

The typhoon also damaged 2,818 houses in Ilocos, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Mimaropa and Cordillera.

The death toll from the typhoon has reached 26. The latest fatality was a certain Francisco Castro, 17, who died of drowning in Cagayan.

The number of injured persons totaled 22 while 14 persons are still missing as of Thursday. The number of displaced persons totaled 299,938 individuals or 67,510 families.

The national government, local government units and private donors have provided more than P12,700 worth of assistance to affected areas.