Severe agri damage  in 13 Cebu City barangays

CEBU, Philippines —  At least 53 hectares of agricultural farmlands have been damaged by typhoon Paeng affecting almost a hundred farmers in 13 upland barangays in Cebu City.

Based on the initial rapid damage assessment report released by Cebu City agriculturist Joey Baclayon, the severely affected barangays include Adlaon, Agsungot, Babag, Bonbon, Bu-ot, Cambinucot, Guba, Lusaran, Pamutan, Paril, Sudlon 2, Sirao and  Taptap.

 has yet to provide the initial cost of the damage, but Ramil Ayuman, special assistant to Mayor Michael Rama, has estimated 50 to 80 percent of the agricultural products have been affected in the mentioned barangays.

Most of the affected plantations include sweet corn, cut flowers, eggplant, tomato, pepper, lettuce, cabbage, spring onions, and cucumber.

The Cebu City government is expected to help the affected farmers bounce back especially that another tropical storm, Queenie, is threatening the country.

As of 5 p.m. yesterday tropical storm Queenie maintains its strength while moving west southwestward over the Visayas and Mindanao regions, while Paeng intensifies into a severe tropical storm as it moves over the West Philippine Sea.

PAGASA said it expects Queenie to continue maintaining its strength over the next 12 hours before weakening into a tropical depression on Tuesday.

The storm’s center was last spotted 695 kilometers east southeast of Hinatuan, Surigaoo del Sur or 755 km east of Davao City, moving at 25 km per hour west southwestward with winds going as strong as 65 kph near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

Caraga, Eastern Visayas and Davao Oriental may experience light to moderate and sometimes heavy rains beginning Tuesday evening until Wednesday.

Meanwhile, same conditions may be expected over Caraga, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas and Bicol Region on Thursday. — FPL (FREEMAN)