‘Cosme’ damage to infra, agri worth P181M–NDCC

By Joel Guinto
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 08:41:00 05/20/2008

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical storm “Cosme” caused damage to infrastructure and agriculture worth P180,943,775, as the casualty count rose to 13 people dead, and 13 others wounded, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) said Tuesday.

The storm caused P139,713,775 in damage to crops and fisheries, which includes P77,061,175 in La Union province, P54,152,600 in Zambales province, about P6 million in Benguet, and about P2.5 million in Mountain Province, the NDCC said.

Damage to roads, bridges, and school buildings was estimated at P41,230,000. This includes P11.9 million in Pangasinan province, P26,150,000 in Zambales province, and P3.18 million in Benguet, it said.

Many of the 13 deaths and injuries were caused by debris flung by the storm’s strong winds, it said.

Floods, landslides and storm surge affected 79,377 people, 1,300 of whom were in evacuation centers.

At 2 a.m., “Cosme” was spotted 940 kilometers northeast of Basco town, Batanes province, packing maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour, with gusts of up to 120 kph.

In a speech the Philippine Navy anniversary in Manila on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. sought one minute of silence for the victims of “Cosme.”

View article as posted on INQUIRER.net

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