CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The recent flooding and string winds brought by Typhoon Ompong has devastated Candaba town’s rice crops with the municipality registering a total of P 138,451,456 in damages according to reports from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist on Friday, September 21.

The town has been placed under a state of calamity as of Monday through Resolution 60, Series of 2018, as approved by the Municipal Council as per recommendation of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

As of Friday, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office reported that ten barangays in Candaba are still flooded. The flooding has also inflicted a heavy toll on the town’s fisheries sector. The town registered a total of P 4,710,125 worth of damage on its fish pen industry.

Meanwhile, the total damage to rice crops in Pampanga has risen to P239,944,577 as more municipalities have forwarded their local damage reports to the provincial government. Next to Candaba town, Apalit registered the second highest number of rice crop damage at P28,488,784. This was followed by Arayat town with P21,342,718 and Santa Rita town with P19,812,744 crop damage.

The province’s Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office has been continuously distributing relief goods to flood affected families. Currently, the Provincial Government has distributed some P 2,395,473 worth of food packs.

In the latest report from the Provincial Government of Pampanga, there are still some 3,389 people in 47 evacuation centers. Some 51 barangays are still under floodwater mostly in San Luis, Minalin, Masantol, and Macabebe. Only three barangays in Apalit remain in flood water while nine barangays in San Simon are still flooded.