Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 17) — Typhoon ‘Ambo’ has left ₱185.8 million worth of damages to agriculture, according to a report released on Sunday by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
Damages have been incurred in a total of ten provinces in the Bicol region, CALABARZON, and Eastern Visayas.
The Bicol region was the hardest hit in terms of agricultural damage, with total losses amounting to over ₱102 million. Over half of this was recorded in the province of Masbate alone, which incurred ₱57 million worth of damages.
Nearly 37,000 farmers and fisherfolk in the said region have also been affected by the typhoon, out of more than 40,000 recorded in total.
Ambo (international name ‘Vongfong’) likewise caused some ₱78.5 million worth of damages in CALABARZON, particularly in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon, and over ₱5 million in the provinces of Eastern and Northern Samar.
The typhoon, which was the first to hit the country this year, made its first landfall over San Policarpio town in Eastern Samar on Thursday.
It has since left at least 25,000 families or over 82,000 people affected in 59 cities and municipalities nationwide, the NDRRMC reported. However, the council noted that on-going assessment and validation are still being conducted to determine the total affected population.
A total of 54 people were also injured in Central Luzon and Eastern Visayas, NDRRMC added. Earlier reports said at least one casualty has been reported in San Policarpio town after a man got hit by shards in an evacuation center.
Meanwhile, at least nine health facilities have been damaged in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas, including the Bicol Regional Diagnostic and Reference Laboratory, which is one of the 30 COVID-19 testing centers accredited by the Health department.
According to NDRRMC, the said laboratory is no longer functional as of Sunday, and will temporarily suspend specimen collection and testing for coronavirus.
Some 75 schools nationwide have also been damaged by the onslaught of Ambo as of Saturday, based on data from the Department of Education.
Ambo weakened into a low pressure area Sunday afternoon, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.
