Floods destroy P57.9M crops, fishery products in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY — An estimated P57.9 million worth of agricultural and fishery products were damaged by flashfloods caused by incessant stop rains that struck the city for five days last week, according to the local crisis management committee (CMC).

The local CMC said that the death toll from the flashfloods in the city has increased to six. The latest fatality was a teenager who went swimming on a swelling river Thursday in Sitio Kilometer 4 in Barangay Pasonanca.

The victim was identified as John Rovel Falcatan, 17, who was with his friends fishing and swimming on the river.

City Agriculturist Diosdado Palacad told Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar that the hardest hit by the flashfloods was the fishery sector where fishpond and seaweeds covering a total area of 4.4 hectares with an estimated damage of P36.14 million.

The estimated damage on crops, covering 2.03 hectares, was P21.86 million.

Several areas in at least 25 barangays were also inundated by flashfloods affecting 4,804 families who were sent to different evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and development (DSWD) said at least 46 evacuation centers have been set and occupied by more than 31, 000 families affected by the flooding.

Joel Espejo, director of the DSWD social marketing service, said the department remains on alert status due to Typhoon Santi, which is forecast to hit land by Friday night or Saturday morning.