Caraga flood damage hits P254 M

BUTUAN CITY , Philippines   – Damage to agriculture and infrastructure caused by flashfloods that inundated the Caraga region last week hit P254 million, according to the Office of Civil Defense.

The agriculture sector sustained losses amounting to P80.77 million while damage to infrastructure was pegged at P173.24 million.

The flashfloods, which also affected parts of Northen Mindanao, were spawned by the tail-end of a cold front and a low-pressure area.

A state of calamity was earlier declared in Esperanza, San Luis and Loreto towns in Agusan del Sur; Jabonga and Las Nieves in Agusan del Norte; Oroquieta City, Plaridel and Lopez Jaena in Misamis Occidental; Cagayan de Oro City, Valencia City in Bukidnon as well as the entire province of Misamis Oriental. 

On Tuesday, the Sangguniang Panglungsod of Butuan City convened for a special session to declare a state of calamity. 

Butuan City Vice Mayor Jose Aquino III said the declaration would allow the city government to utilize five percent of its calamity funds for restoration, rehabilitation and relief purposes. 

At least 32,434 families from 39 barangays in the city were affected by flashfloods. A total of 6,093 families were brought to evacuation centers.