BUTUAN CITY – At least 6,911 families or 28,565 individuals who stayed in evacuation centers during the flooding caused by Tropical Depression Vicky were provided food and other needs by the local government units (LGUs) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Caraga (DSWD-13).
In a statement Monday, DSWD-13 said that of the total number of displaced families served in evacuation centers, 1,207 families or 5,356 individuals are from Agusan del Norte; 3,050 or 12,454 persons are from Agusan del Sur; 543 families or 2,156 individuals from Surigao del Norte; and 2,111 families or 8,599 individuals from Surigao del Sur.
As of Monday noon (Dec. 21), the agency said that a total of 872 families or 4,060 individuals are still staying inside the different evacuation centers in the region,” the DSWD-13 said.
So far, a total of PHP748,751 worth of food and non-food assistance were already provided by the LGUs to the affected families.
DSWD-13 still has 13,687 available family food packs worth over PHP6.6 million that are strategically stationed here and in Surigao City in Surigao del Norte, and Tandag City in Surigao del Sur.
Repair operations
The Department of Public Works and Highways in Caraga (DPWH-13) said repairs are ongoing to infrastructures damaged by flooding since Friday last week due to Tropical Depression Vicky.
“There are no major damages incurred in our infrastructures, especially on our bridges. Damages were road slips and those that were covered by debris in areas where landslides occurred,” DPWH-13 Director Pol M. Delos Santos told reporters here on Monday.
Most of the roads damaged by landslides were reported in Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands.
TD Vicky incurred around PHP105 million damage to infrastructures, especially on roads in the whole region, Delos Santos said, adding that the damage could increase as inspections are still being conducted by DPWH.
“The clearing operations were already completed. The roads previously considered impassable due to debris and fallen trees were already cleared. What we are focusing on now are the road slips that were caused by flooding,” Delos Santos said.
Support for farmers
The Department of Agriculture in Caraga (DA-13) said the agency has already prepared since Saturday (Dec. 19) buffer stocks of seeds that will be distributed to farmers directly affected by TD Vicky in the region.
In a press conference Monday, DA-13 Executive Director Abel James I. Monteagudo told reporters that the agency is still finalizing the report on the damaged crops in the region.
“We are still consolidating the reports from the Municipal Agriculture Offices (MAOs) in the region,” Monteagudo said.
Based on the initial numbers, around 3,665 hectares of rice fields were damaged by the recent typhoon amounting to PHP57.8 million.
The agency said that there is still no data as to the total number of hectares and amount of damages in the provinces as of posting time.
Around 4,000 sacks of rice seeds, 100 bags of OPV Corn, and 60 boxes of vegetable seeds are ready for distribution, Monteagudo said. (PNA)
