Heavy rain that hit the country caused huge floods. (Photo: YouTube/CNN)

Flooding causes millions of dollars in losses

PHILIPPINES
Monday, August 13, 2012, 04:00 (GMT + 9)

The Philippine’s fisheries industry has incurred losses of more than PHP 300 million (USD 7.2 million) as a result of severe flooding caused by unforgiving rains since 20 July, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said this amount of rainfall exceeded the month of July average rainfall by a whopping 75 per cent.

“The massive amount of rainfall is unusual, especially that the climate is in neutral conditions, which is neither La Niña nor El Niño,” said PAGASA senior weather forecaster Mario Palafox, Manila Bulletin reports.
 
BFAR Director Asis Perez said that more than 3,000 aquaculture operators and hundreds of fishers in regions 1, 3 and 4-A of Luzon have suffered losses since last month.

Fish pond and fish cage operators have lost PHP 377 million (USD 9 million) and operators of fishing vessels and fishing devices have seen damages that reached PHP 10.1 million (USD 241,169).

Perez said worst-hit by the floods was the province of Pampanga, where more than PHP 250 million (USD 5.97 million) was lost because fish farming in the region was already at the harvesting stage, ABS-CBNnews.com reports.

Aquaculture farms in Region 3’s Pampanga were heavily struck, with losses thought to stand at PHP 262 million (USD 6.3 million), Perez informed.
 
Fish farms raising shrimp and prawns as well as fish ponds in Cavite, Bataan, Bulacan and Pangasinan were also hit hard by flood, the bureau stated.
 
Most of the fish being raised in the farms were already old enough to be harvested and fish fry and fingerlings were also destroyed.

BFAR said it will provide assistance to fishing operators whose work is being affected by the floods.

By Natalia Real
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com

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