Typhoon "Egay" has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) leaving a death toll of 13 people and P58 million in crop damage in its wake, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) reported on Friday.
The agency said six of the fatalities have been confirmed, while the other seven are being validated.
Five of the deaths were in the Cordillera Administrative Region, and one in Western Visayas.
The NDRRMC said 140,923 families, or 502,782 persons, in five regions were affected by the typhoon.
Agricultural damage was at least P58 million, with more than 3,000 farmers and fisherfolk affected.
Corn and rice fields in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Caraga suffered the biggest damage.
Damage to infrastructure was estimated at around P656 million.
A total of 2,002 houses were also damaged.
Nearly P38.8 million worth of food and nonfood items have been distributed to typhoon-stricken residents.
In its own report Friday, the Department of Agriculture (DA) placed total crop loss at 19,488 metric tons (MT), affecting 58,104 hectares of farmland.
Affected commodities include rice, corn, high-value crops, and livestock and poultry.
Corn absorbed the biggest loss — 14,990 MT worth P358.4 million.
Rice loss was 4,489 MT worth P152.5 million; damage to livestock and poultry and high-value crops reached P1.6 million and P366,000, respectively.
On Thursday, DA Assistant Secretary for Operations Arnel de Mesa said P1 billion from the department's quick response fund can be tapped to provide assistance to affected farmers.
De Mesa said the DA will also distribute seedlings and fertilizer discount vouchers to affected farmers, drugs to livestock and poultry growers, and fingerlings to fishermen.
A farming group said it expects the prices of agricultural items to rise due to the damage brought by Egay.
"Retail prices of rice, vegetables, poultry and fish, and other food produce are expected to increase anew after Super Typhoon Egay pummeled farmlands and coastal areas, particularly in the Central and Northern Luzon regions," the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said in a statement on Friday.
The group urged the government to impose a price freeze in calamity-stricken areas.
Despite exiting the PAR, Egay will continue to interact with the southwest monsoon or "habagat" to bring rain to a big section of the country.
Weather specialist Daniel James Villamil of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the former super typhoon was tracked at 675 kilometers north-northwest of Itbayan, Batanes.
"The typhoon is already away from the Philippine landmass, but it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon that brings rain in most parts of the country," Villamil said.
Heavy rainfall of up to 100 millimeters is forecast for Saturday in Zambales, Bataan, Mindoro and the northern portion of Palawan, including Cuyo, Calamian and Kalayaan Islands.
"Under these conditions, flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards," Villamil said.
Except for Mindanao, which will have overcast skies with scattered showers and thunderstorms, most parts of the country will be affected by the monsoon, Pagasa said.
As another tropical depression approaches, the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) has ordered all its port management offices to make the necessary preparations.
The new weather system will be named "Falcon" once it enters PAR.
PPA General Manager Jay Santiago said the agency's preemptive measures helped minimize the impact of Egay in all ports along its path.
"Minimal damage was reported in ports, including one broken glass panel door in PMO Northern Luzon due to strong winds, but, other than that, all the PMOs have followed the standard operating procedures during typhoon season," Santiago said.
Santiago visited the NorthPort Passenger Terminal in Manila's North Harbor after the last of the stranded passengers had boarded.
National Capital Region North Port Manager Aurora Mendoza said the shower area and comfort rooms will be further improved, and hot meals are always on standby for stranded passengers.
Aside from the free phone charging station, the PPA also offers free water refilling stations.
The PPA also provides free film showings featuring Filipino movies to stranded passengers.
Source - https://www.manilatimes.net
