Most of the flood waters have subsided after days of heavy rains, leaving behind destroyed homes and initial crop production losses pegged at P4.7 million in seven towns and cities of Negros Occidental.

A report of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to Gov. Joseph Marañon yesterday showed damage to palay, vegetables and fishponds in two towns and eight cities at P4,726,183.71 covering 2,294.30 hectares and affecting 711 farmers.

The damage report covered Binalbagan (fishpond, vegetables, palay) - P344,450, Hinigaran (palay) - P265,541.25, La Carlota City (palay) - P66,430, San Enrique (palay) - P500,000, Valladolid (palay, vegetables, fishing boats) - P1,044,439, Pulupandan (palay, vegetables) - P447,466, Bago City (palay) - P1,315,621, Murcia (palay, corn) - P322,738, Moises Padilla (palay, banana) - P79,495 and Pontevedra ( fishpond, fishing boat) - P340,000.

Meanwhile. Sugar Regulatory Administrator James Ledesma yesterday said the SRA is still assessing the effects of the floods on sugarcane in Negros Occidental. There may be some damage, but sugarcane is a resilient crop, he said.

Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Bayan declared yesterday a state of calamity in Pulupandan town, Mayor Luis Mondia said. On Thursday last week San Enrique and Valladolid also declared states of calamity.

Reports from the Provincial Social Welfare Office and the mayors yesterday said the floods affected 60,364 individuals in nine towns and four cities in southern Negros Occidental damaging 2,462 houses and destroying 301others.

Marañon said the provincial government that has been providing relief assistance to the flood hit areas will be appropriating another P3 million for the PSWO to cover whatever calamity hits Negros Occidental from now until December.*CPG

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