Urduja's damage to infrastructure, agriculture now nearly P1B

Nearly P1 billion worth of infrastructure and agriculture products were damaged by tropical cyclone Urduja (Kai-tak), the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council reported Wednesday.

The NDRRMC said the estimated cost of Urduja's damage to infrastructure in the provinces of Masbate, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte and Compostela Valley has reached a total of P543,220.

It said the amount may still increase because damage assessments are ongoing.

The agency also reported an estimated cost of damage of P475,303,982.02 to crops and livestock in the provinces of Masbate, Sorsogon, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Leyte, Biliran, Southern Leyte, Samar, Eastern Samar and Northern Samar.

On Tuesday, the NDRRMC said at least 41 people have been reported killed and 45 more were missing in Urduja's wake, the deadliest cyclone to hit the Philippines so far this year.

Urduja had exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility, through the West Philippine Sea.

Weather bureau PAGASA and the NDRRMC are closely monitoring a low pressure area east of Mindanao, which may intensify into a cylcone and enter the PAR on Thursday.

The weather disturbance will be named Vinta if it intensifies into a cyclone and enters the PAR. —ALG, GMA News