P3.1M in agri crops, infra lost to ‘Dante’

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Tropical Storm “Dante” damaged P3,166,325.31 worth of agriculture crops and infrastructures in the towns of Hinoba-an, Binalbagan, and the city of Cadiz in Negros Occidental.

Based on a report of the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD), Hinoba-an town lost P1,775,040 in agriculture crops in Barangays Alim, Bulwangan, and Culipapa; and P518,500 in infrastructures in Barangays Alim and Bulwangan.

The damaged infrastructures in Hinoba-an town included a daycare center, a basketball court, a barangay health center, a bridge, and a portion of a national road.

Cadiz City suffered P872,785.31 in damage to agriculture in Barangays Caduhaan, Luna, Burgos, Bonifacio, Gustilo, Viejo, and Villacin.

The PDMPD also reported one damaged and three destroyed houses in Barangay Santol, Binalbagan town.

A total of 185 families composed of 520 individuals in 17 villages in the towns of Hinobaan, Binalbagan, Isabela, E.B. Magalona, and the cities of Himamaylan and Talisay were evacuated last Tuesday. They returned home the following day.

The displaced residents included 23 families composed of 73 persons from Barangays Bagroy, Payao, and Santol in Binalbagan town; 55 families (245 individuals) in Barangays Bulwangan, Asia, Culipapa, and Daug in Hinoba-an town; 34 families (114 individuals) in Barangays Camang-Camang, Mansablay, 8 Crasher, and Guintubhan in Isabela town; 27 families (88 persons) in Barangays 8, 14-A, and 14-B in Talisay City; five individuals in E.B. Magalona town; and 46 families (46 persons) in Barangays 3 Poblacion, 4, and Caradio-an in Himamaylan City.

Meanwhile, authorities have retrieved the body of a retired cop who was reported missing in a flashflood in Hinoba-an town last Tuesday.

Police Lieutenant Jaime Dequillo Jr., deputy police chief of Hinoba-an Municipal Police Station, said that retired Police Chief Master Sergeant Dakie Dacuscus was swept by strong river current while approaching a bridge along with his wife Jessybel at Barangay Bulwangan Tuesday night.

Dequillo said the couple was on board their pick-up truck driven by the retired cop on their way home from Bayawan City, Negros Oriental, when the flashflood occurred.

“Napatay ang engine sang salakyan kay siguro nalab-ot na ka tubig, na anod sila dayun kay na abtan ka flashfloods pero nakahingagaw sila guwa sa salakyan,” he added.

The couple got separated. Jessybel was rescued Wednesday morning by a fisherman after being at sea for 13 hours.

Dequillo said that she was found holding onto a piece of bamboo at the sea in Barangay Asia around 8 a.m. She suffered minor scratches and was taken to a hospital.

Dakie Dacuscus’s body was found in the waters of Brgy. Bulwangan, Hinoba-an at around 2 pm Thursday.

Dequillo also said that the couple’s vehicle was recovered but it was already destroyed.

Another survivor was also rescued by a fisherman floating at the sea in Barangay Asia two hours later on Wednesday.

Dequillo identified the victim as Edmund Villaluz, who was asleep when the flashflood hit his house on a riverbank. He was also seen holding on to a plywood and a bamboo when rescued after being in the water for about 15 hours.

The Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) has initially reported that seven persons were missing in Hinoba-an town on Tuesday night.

But Dequillo said the four other persons were reported to have vacated their houses before the onslaught of the typhoon and were all safe.