'Vicky' damage to infra reaches P122 million, agri at P111 million
MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Vicky has left a combined cost of damage at over P200 million as of Wednesday, official figures showed.
Disaster officials in a December 23 situation report said damage in the aftermath of the weather disturbance is now at P122.2 million in four regions.
Among them, Caraga appeared to have been the worst hit as it accounted for P105.4 million in damage to roads and flood control.
Zamboanga Peninsula followed with P6.8 million, while Central Visayas and Bicol — a region still reeling from the consecutive typhoons in the recent months, took a beating with each at P5 million.
Vicky has claimed the lives of eight people to date, with two injured and another still missing. It has also affected 31,408 families or 130,855 individuals.
Of the figures, 289 families or 1,228 persons will likely spend Christmas and the rest of the holidays in evacuation sites.
While the Philippines is visited by 20 storms a year on average, its disaster response has been affected as the country grapples with the coronavirus pandemic.
Damage to crops, meanwhile, have reached P111 million per the latest report from the agriculture department.
Figures showed 15,933 farmers and fisherfolk affected by December 22, along with nearly 20,000 hectares of agricultural areas.
The volume of production loss has also stood at 942 metric tons.
The social welfare department has reported too that P4.1 million worth of assistance had been provided to the victims, with P3.1 million coming from the agency and P904 million from local governments.
Vicky is the first in at least two storms that weather bureau PAGASA is still expecting to enter the country and is the 22nd storm to hit the Philippines this year.
In October, PAGASA also announced the onset of the La Niña, with above normal rainfall conditions seen to persist until March 2021.
RELATED: La Niña amid pandemic: What local governments, communities can do to prepare
The consecutive typhoons in the recent months — "Quinta," Super Typhoon "Rolly" and "Ulysses," have left extensive damage, sending the entire Luzon under a state of calamity.
Ulysses in its over 100 casualties and P20 billion in damage is considered as the deadliest for the country.
Tropical Depression Vicky is the first tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines in December. Bookmark this page for updates.
Tropical Depression Vicky left Philippine Area of Responsibility at 2 p.m. on Sunday, state weather bureau PAGASA says.
It is is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm in the next 12 hours as it moves southwestward as it comes under the full influence of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan.
At 4 p.m., Vicky was located 70 km southeast of Kalayaan, Palawaan, with winds of 55 kph and gustiness of 70 kph. It is moving westward at 15 kph.
Tropical Depression Vicky continues to accelerate as it heads to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
Kalayaan Islands remain under Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 1.
At 10 a.m., it was located 135 km east southeast of Kalayaan, Palawan, packing winds of 55 kph and gusts of 70 kph. It is moving westward at 35 kph.
"This tropical depression is forecast to move generally westward or southwestward over the West Philippine Sea in the next 12 hours and is likely to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this afternoon," PAGASA says.
Signal No. 1 is raised over Kalayaan Islands as Tropical Depression Vicky continues to move west-northwestward. It is forecast to further intensify into a tropical storm within the next 24 hours.
At 4 a.m., the weather disturbance was located 195 km west northwest of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan or 340 km east of Kalayaan, Palawan.
Vicky packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kph and gusts of up to 70 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 25 kph.
Tropical Depression Vicky is moving west-northwest toward the northern-central part of Palawan.
As of 4 p.m. Saturday, the eye of Vicky was situated 135 kilometers east southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, packing winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 55 kph.
Tropical Depression Vicky continues to approach the northern-central portion of Palawan, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.
Moving westward at 20 kilometers per hour, Vicky has a maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gusts of up to 55 kph.
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