'Enteng' agri damage in Aurora placed at over P44.5M

BALER, Aurora – The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) in this province on Thursday said Severe Tropical Storm Enteng left P44,517,163 worth of damage to agriculture.

PDRRMO Chief Amado Elson Egargue told the Philippine News Agency that the damage to rice crops was placed at over P25 million. The town of Dilasag incurred the biggest loss valued at over P7 million; followed by Casiguran, P5.2 million; and Maria Aurora, P2.3 million.

On corn and cassava, Egargue said the total damage was placed at P13.6 million. Dilasag suffered the most with P4.6 million worth of damaged crops; followed by Casiguran, P4.3 million; and Dipaculao, P3.4 million.

Damaged high-value crops were worth a total of P4.7 million while on fisheries, the losses were placed at P778,000.

Egargue also said at least 1,291 families or 4,551 individuals were affected by the typhoon, of whom 178 families or 600 individuals were accommodated at evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, a fisherman who was reported missing in the town of Dinalungan is now the subject of search and rescue operations by personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Army's 91st Infantry Battalion, Dinalungan Police Station and local town officials.

Dinalungan police chief, Capt. Regan Lopez, said Edgar Querijero, 47, of Purok 5, Barangay Mapalad, was reported missing by his wife Jessica since Aug. 30, when he ventured into the sea on board a blue double-engine motorized boat. She said her husband was expected to return on Sept. 2 but has not been able to come home to date.

Lopez said Querijero had company who was on board another fishing boat, identified as Benedict Vargas Marcelo, who had returned home during the height of "Enteng".

The town police chief advised fishermen and coastal community residents to be on the lookout and report to the nearest authority possible sighting of the missing fisherman. (PNA)