• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) reported an increase in losses to the agriculture sector, including livestock and fisheries, in Negros Occidental, caused by southwest monsoon (habagat), enhanced by three tropical storms, at P151,279,971, as of September 23.
In a report of the PDRRMC, the bulk of losses were in agriculture with P146,184,459 in losses to agricultural crops, P3,314,151 in livestock, and P1,7681,361 to fisheries.
Affected by the inclement weather were 207,197 persons in 261 barangays of 25 cities and municipalities of Negros Occidental.
Forty six houses were destroyed while 989 were reported partially damaged, with two casualties recorded by the PDRRMC.
States of calamity have been declared in the municipalities of San Enrique and Hinigaran, and in La Carlota City.
On the other hand, PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando said the public could look forward to cooler temperatures in the coming days due to the “amihan” season.
“In the coming days, the winds will be colder due to the shift from ‘habagat’ (southwest monsoon) to ‘amihan’,” Servando said.
However, there is no indication yet to terminate “habagat” as the prevailing weather system, he added.
“But normally, the onset of ‘amihan’ season falls between the last week of September to the first week of October. It varies,” he further said.* with PNA reports
