Typhoon Dante Exits, Typhoon Emong Enters

Naga City  -- While many Bikolanos celebrated and enjoyed SM's opening in Naga City, few were conversant of the crisis brought by typhoon "Dante" which ravaged areas due to landslides particularly in Catanduanes and Sorsogon. Other vicinities in Bikol were also affected due to the floods brought by the typhoon.

According to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), "Dante" killed 25 people in Bikol while three remain to be missing. Damages were estimated to reach P191.2 million including P170.535 million in 25,117.11 metric tons of crops; and P127.7 million in infrastructure.Then again, at least 43,215 families or 236,887 people were affected in 220 villages in 45 towns and three cities in five Bikol provinces. However, evacuation centers continued to accommodate victims of the typhoon.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) stated that typhoon "Dante" was located on May 5 at 840 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora packing winds of up to 130 kilometers per hour near the center.

It was moving east northeast at 22 kilometers per hour. "Dante" exited the country's area of responsibility last May 6.

Fishery Sector

Meanwhile, the government's fisheries agency has initially reported that the fishery sector in Bikol had sustained enormous losses in nearly five days of heavy rains brought by "Dante."

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region V director Dennis Del Socoro revealed that initial field reports on Tuesday (May 5) showed that the typhoon destroyed seaweed nurseries, mariculture projects, and BFAR operated facilities particularly in the province of Sorsogon.

Of the P 7 Million worth of damages to the region's fishery sector, Sorsogon suffered damages amounting to P 5 Million, Del Socoro said.

He also stated that mostly affected were seaweed farms and nurseries in the coastal municipalities of Matnog, Magallanes, Casiguran, Sta. Magdalena; moreover, in Sorsogon City six newly established seaweed farms were heavily damaged by the tropical storm.

The BFAR director noted that some four metric tons of seaweed seedlings in the nurseries of the seaweed farms were lost during the heavy rains.

Prawn farms in Cabigan,  Sorsogon City also reported having big losses due to lost prawn larvae valued at hundreds of thousands, after fishpond dikes overflowed.

In Catanduanes provinces, fishery officers reported that damages to fishing boats, fishponds and cages have been assessed at about P 1.43 Million.

In Bato, Camarines Sur fishpond operators initially reported 17 fishcages destroyed, with fishpond damages amounting to P 1.2 Million.

A Tilapia fingerling farm in Buhi including other BFAR operated facilities in the province also   sustained  damages amounting to nearly P 1 Million.

Emong

In the meantime, as the country still reels from Dante's havoc, it is threatened again by a new tropical storm entered the country's area of responsibility.

According to Aldczar Aurelio of PAG-ASA'a weather forecasting bureau, the cyclone named "Emong" was moving in an east northeast direction and is expected to hit Northern and Central Luzon.

"Emong" is said to be packing 64 to 100 kilometers per hour and was calculated to make landfall by Friday, said PAGASA Director Prisco Nilo. (with report from Sonny Sales)