Floods ruin P9.3-M palay in Eastern Visayas

TACLOBAN CITY — Heavy rains in the past two weeks have triggered flash floods in some parts of Eastern Visayas, submerging over 4,000 hectares of ricefields and destroying unharvested palay valued at least P9.3 million, agriculture and disaster officials said.

Severely affected were 2,142 farmers in the Leyte towns of Tanauan, Sta. Fe, Palo, Dagami, Mahaplag, Abuyog and Javier, according to partial reports.

Senior agriculturist Allan Peñalosa said the heavy rainfall, particularly from Jan. 15 to 18, was rather "unusual," as they expected only light rains, not flood-causing downpours.

Rainy season in the region is from December to January, a reverse of the pattern in Central and Southern Luzon, he said.

Agricultural and disaster teams are currently assessing the extent of damage in Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar and Biliran, upon which rehabilitation plans will be based.

Geneva Caligan, head of the regional disaster coordinating council, is confident though that a rehabilitation program can be drawn up this week.

Among the flood-prone areas in Eastern Visayas are Saint Bernard, Silago, Sogod and Bontoc in Southern Leyte; Gandara, Sta. Margarita, Calbayog, Sta. Rita, Basey and Marabut in Samar; and Dolores Valley, which stretches from the Oras-Dolores-Can-avid boundary to the Taft-Guina-pondan-Lawaan-Balangiga area in Eastern Samar. — Ulysses Torres Sabuco