Ifugao one of hardest hit by typhoon ‘Juan’

LAGAWE, Ifugao - This province was among those hardest hit by typhoon “Juan” leaving two people dead, 71 houses totally destroyed, 316 partially damaged while affected population reached 389 families or 2,164 persons even as damage to agriculture and fisheries were estimated at P90,899,120 million.

Gov. Eugene Balitang bared this citing data of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Max Pud-itan, 13, of Abatan, Hungduan and a student of Ahin Elementary School in Tinoc reportedly drowned at about 4 p.m.on Oct. 19 while crossing the Ahin River.

The body of the victim was recovered the following day at the Abatan River in Hungduan, said Insp. Federico Leyva Jr., Tinoc police chief.

Meanwhile, Martin Binwag Talango Jr, 19, out of school youth and resident of Sitio Bayninan, Barangay Kinakin in Banaue was killed by a landslide.

Chief of police ,Insp. Ramon Espiritu reported Talango was walking with his brother and cousin in a foot trail at about 9 p.m. on October 19 when a landslide sudeenly buried him alive. His companions were able to escape

Balitang said hardest hit towns were Alfonso Lista and Aguinaldo.

Fifty two houses were totally damaged and 29 houses were partially damaged in Alfonso Lista while Aguinaldo had nine totally damaged houses and 23 partially damaged.

The two municipalities are located near Isabela.

“Our provincial Social Welfare Office distributed family packs containing rice and canned goods to Alfoso Lista now and will continue going around the province to distribute to other victims,” he said.

The PDRMC earlier conducted rehabilitation efforts after the typhoon.

Balitang said that the Department of Public Works and Highways and the Provincial Engineering Office cleared main roads blocked by landslides and fallen trees.

Damage to agriculture, fisheries, and infrastructure in the province has reached P147.556 million.

In a PDRRMC report Friday, damage to infrastructure that includes farm to market roads, bridges, schools, irrigation system, spring development and river control in municipalities was placed at P36.411 million.

The estimated cost of damage to FRMs was P8.175 million; for irrigation system – P6M; river control - P4.750M; bridge - P3.125M while P.940 million for spring development. A total of 33 schools were affected also in the province that worth P5.251 million.

A total of P50,758,250 million worth of rice and corn crops planted on 1,817 hectares of farm land mostly in Alfonso Lista and Aguinaldo and P31,673,800 million worth of fruits and vegetables were destroyed by the typhoon.

The total cost for damage to agricultural land was P2.6 million

The fishing industry also incurred P4,650,310 million in damages in the affected municipalities, the PDRRMC said.

Joyce Niwane, provincial social welfare officer said 40,000 sacks of rice were ready to be distributed to typhoon victims.

She added there are about 131 families and 634 individuals affected by the typhoon in the province.

The report said Hungduan, Mayoyao and Tinoc towns were isolated due to landslides aggravated by lack of electricity and cell phone signals .