FLASH floods spawned by rains due to Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) last week inundated 671.58 hectares of farmlands and fishponds in the east coast.

City Agriculturist Carmencita Sanches said the damage to crops was estimated to have reached P22.6 million, of which P11.005 million is the cost for damage to agricultural crops while P11.64 million is the cost for damage to seaweeds and fishpond products.

Sanchez said that of the total 671.58 hectares damaged farmlands and fishponds, 216.60 hectares were planted with rice; corn, 1.06 hectares; assorted vegetables, 26.42 hectares; seaweeds, 327.70 hectares; and fishponds, 99.80 hectares.

Sanchez said a total of 1,396 farmers were affected.

She said the biggest damage was incurred by 893 farmers in Manicahan and Curuan districts, with value of losses estimated at P8.92 million, followed by 94 vegetable farmers in Manicahan, Vitali and Tumaga districts who lost some P6.20 million worth of crops due to the flash floods. (SunStar Zamboanga)