Emong leaves P102.84 million infrastructure damage in La Union

SAN FERNANDO, La Union, Philippines — Infrastructure projects estimated to be worth P102.84 million have been destroyed by Tropical Storm Emong in this province, according to the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council.

Aside from infrastructure projects, Emong destroyed agricultural crops and livestock worth P60.69 million and P86,900, respectively.

Gov. Mario Ortega, who chairs the provincial disaster risk reduction and management council, said a state of calamity has been declared in La Union to hasten the release of funds intended for relief operations for typhoon victims as well as for the repair of damaged infrastructure.

Signal No. 4 was hoisted over La Union during the onslaught of the storm.

Ortega said the towns of Bacnotan, Balaoan, Bangar, Bauang, Luna, San Gabriel, San Juan and Sudipen experienced blackouts as Emong toppled trees and power posts.

The storm displaced 36,076 families, composed of 107,097 people, and destroyed 360 houses.

“Clearing operations and power restoration are ongoing in affected areas,” Ortega said.

Classes and government work remained suspended as of yesterday in flood-affected areas.

Meanwhile, Benguet’s capital town La Trinidad has been placed under a state of calamity due to damage caused by the storms and the monsoon.

Local officials said the town suffered P10.78 million and P17.67 million damage to agriculture and infrastructure, respectively.

Negros logs P186 million agriculture, infrastructure damage

In Negros, the combined effects of the storms and the monsoon destroyed P97.27 million and P88.71 million worth of agricultural crops and infrastructure projects, respectively.

Citing reports from the Department of Education, the Negros Island Region (NIR)’s disaster risk reduction and management council said the bad weather destroyed several classrooms.

Flooding in 208 barangays left three people dead, not six as earlier reported, and displaced 149,795 families.

Donato Sermeno III, chief of the NIR-Office of Civil Defense, clarified that the two fatalities in an incident of electrocution in Hinobaan and the drowning of a fisherman in Sagay City, Negros Occidental were not due to bad weather.

Local disaster officials said that aside from classrooms, rainfall spawned by the storms and the monsoon destroyed 50 houses.

Up to P32.87 million in relief assistance have been extended to calamity victims, Sermeno said.

Following the declaration of a state of calamity, a price freeze has been imposed in Negros Occidental. — Gilbert Bayoran