Crising,” the low pressure area (LPA) downgraded from its initial tropical depression status not only claimed several lives but also wreaked havoc in millions worth of damages.
A partial damage assessment report of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) pegged total damage brought about by Tropical Depression Crising at P84.8 million, so far.
The amount represents damage on livestocks, crops, fisheries, barangay roads, infrastructures, as well as school structures in several northern towns of Cebu, which suffered the brunt of Crising.
Danao City reported the most amount of damage, totaling P72 million, suffered by Barangays Poblacion, Sta. Rosa, Suba/Taytay, Taboc, Dunggoan, Cagat, Cogon, and Maslog.
Danao’s flood control structure took the hardest hit with damage amounting to P50.5 million, and the city was the only local government unit where school buildings and fences were also damaged.
In the town of Carmen, reported damages totaled P11.9 million, covering Barangays Luyang, Cantumog, Fuente, and Cantipay.
Catmon’s damage was pegged at P426,350, Compostela at P419,775 and Borbon with P17,000, covering crops and fisheries.
PDRRMO information officer Julius Regner told CDN that the huge cost of damage was unexpected, considering that Crising was downgraded into an LPA.
In light of reports that another tropical depression was set to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility, Regner said that they will be calling an emergency meeting with local disaster officers.
Learning from Crising, Regner called on the public as well as the local leaders to prepare and to continually monitor weather conditions so as not to take any chances.
“We should not be complacent especially in areas that are at risk. We did not expect what happened in Carmen and that could happen also in other places, so we should not take any chances,” he said in Cebuano.
“Let’s all be ready,” he added.
To be on the safe side, Regner called on the public to obey local leaders when a preemptive evacuation is ordered.