CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- The amount of rice crops damaged by heavy rainfall for the past weeks in Pampanga has reached more than P10 million, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO).

As of Monday noon, August 5, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist reported P10,390,213.44 worth of rice crops from Magalang, Guagua, Apalit and Candaba town were already damaged.

Farmers in Apalit town took the biggest loss with P5,780,360 worth of rice crops, followed by Candaba with P3,208,553.60, Guagua with P1,069,115.04, and Magalang with P332,184.80.

A total of 5,298 families, or 18,552 individuals, from Apalit and Lubao towns were reportedly affected by the incessant rains and flooding. But only one seven-member family remained at an evacuation center in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Lubao.

Meanwhile, the number of flooded barangays in the province have dwindled to nine -- two (Colgante and Paligui) coming from Apalit town and seven (Sta. Lucia Paguiaba, San Agustin Caingin, San Isidro Matua, Sta. Lucia Wakas, Sapang Kawayan, Sto. Niño, and Bebe Anac) from Masantol town.

Despite the weather's improvement, PDRRMO’s Disaster Response equipment and manpower remain activated and prepositioned 24/7 to provide assistance in case of emergency.

Local DRRM councils from 21 cities and municipalities were also tasked to regularly monitor and coordinate the situation in their respective jurisdictions to the PDRRMO.