Typhoon Agaton’s aftermath: 224 casualties, 3 billion agriculture damage loss
By John Florentino Perez
The tropical depression, Typhoon Agaton, left the Philippines devastated with over 178 casualties and over ₱2.4 billion worth of agricultural damage in the Visayas Region as of writing. Agaton made its landfall on April 12 with sustained winds of up to 65 kilometers (40 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 80 kph (49 mph). It is the first storm this year to hit the country, which sees around 20 such storms annually.
Typhoon Casualties
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed that of the 224 casualties, 202 were from Eastern Visayas, 17 were from Western Visayas, three were from Davao Region, and two from Central Region.
There are still over 111 people who are missing, out of the 111, 103 were from Baybay City, 6 in Capiz City, and 1 each from Abuyog and Davao de Oro.
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), said that there are over 8, 823 police and firefighters deployed in order to assist in evacuation, search, and rescue operations. They added that there are military and local rescue team personnels to help.
Agricultural Loss
As confirmed by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the three billion worth of agricultural damage climbed up from 2.4 billion on April 21, which was recorded in Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Soccsksargen, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Caraga.
Out of the three billion, most of the damages came from rice crops, which have over 88,997 metric tons of volume loss.
The second in value loss is corn with over 2,036 metric tons, which is worth over ₱53.6 million loss, whereas high-value crops have over 866 metric tons volume loss amounting to ₱30 million loss.
Livestock and poultry also have a devastating loss of over 78,732 heads which amounts to ₱40.9 million.
Meanwhile, damages in fisheries worth over 930.5 million losses were recorded particularly in equipment, gears, and engines affecting 1,852 fishermen.
Government response
The DA stated that they are readily putting over 723.07 million pesos of assistance to farmers and fisherfolk, the P500 million subsidy from the assistance will be used directly for the rehabilitation of affected areas.
One hundred million is under the Survival and Recovery (SURE) Assistance Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council for Western Visayas; ₱80.16 million for rice seeds; ₱24.3 million for corn seeds; ₱10.85 million for assorted vegetables; ₱130,000 for drugs for livestock and poultry from Caraga and Northern Mindanao, and there would be financial compensations for affected farmers from Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation.
