Egay onslaught kills 26, displaces over 300K –NDRRMC

Twenty-six persons have been reported to have died while 13 others have been said to be missing after tropical cyclone Egay’s onslaught in several regions last week, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council has said.

In its situtional report at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, the NDRRMC said 52 people were also reported injured in over 849 typhoon-related incidents.

These are in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Eastern Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN, and BARMM.

The agency said 675,357 families or 2,476,907 individuals were affected by Egay. It said 317,975 persons have been displaced, and 17,349 were pre-emptively evacuated.

The affected areas include 13 regions, 47 provinces, 449 cities and municipalities, and 4,255 barangays.

Affected farmers, fishers

As of 5 p.m., the estimated cost of damage to agriculture was P1,965,320,443.04; and to infrastructure, P3,510,282,156.58.

Over 100,000 farmers and fishers were affected while more than 148,000 hectares of crops were damaged. The cost of damage to livestock, poultry, and fisheries reached over P167 million.

An estimated P154,046,929.23 have already been released by several government units for post-typhoon relief and assistance.

The NDRRMC said there were 41,920 damaged houses and 487 damaged infrastructure.

On Tuesday morning, the agency said 108 areas in six regions in Luzon have been placed under a state of calamity due to the combined effects of Typhoon Egay and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat).

Based on its latest situational report, the NDRRMC said that these cities and municipalities were situated in the Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).

LPA to super typhoon

Egay, which developed into a super typhoon, started out as a low pressure area east of southern Luzon. It developed into a tropical depression on July 21.

Super Typhoon Egay on July 25 had Signal No. 5 raised in the eastern portion of the Babuyan Islands when it was spotted 230 kilometers east northeast of Tuguegarao City with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph.

Already a typhoon, Egay first made landfall in Fuga Island in Aparri, Cagayan on July 26.

Egay left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on July 27 but still had eight areas under Signal No. 2.

Like tropical cyclone Falcon which entered the PAR after it left, Egay also enhanced the Southwest Monsoon and caused rains in parts of the country.

‘Enough rice’

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Tuesday guaranteed that there was enough buffer stock of rice despite the massive agricultural damage left by Egay in Northern Luzon.

Marcos met with officials of the Department of Agriculture to discuss the effects of Egay on the country’s rice production as well as the measures to ensure a sufficient supply of rice.

He said that DA officials have assured him of enough supply of rice and corn seeds as well as high-value crops, which will be distributed to affected farmers.

The DA will distribute 111,873 bags of rice seeds; 14,426 bags of corn seeds; and, 2,582 kilograms of assorted vegetable seeds to regions affected by Egay. –NB, GMA Integrated News