Cagayan farmers cry for help after Maring destroyed crops

Farmers in Baggao, Cagayan, cried for help after Tropical Storm Maring destroyed their crops on Monday, October 11.

Barangay Asinga-Via farmers went through floodwaters to retrieve what was left of their crops, hoping that they would still have value.

In an interview with the Inquirer, the 19-year-old working student said it was a scene “too hard to watch.”

He tried to stop the farmers from salvaging their submerged livelihood due to the dangers, but the farmers were sad and desperate. He then chose to help them instead—but they were too late.

“Nakita ko po ‘yung mga lumulutang na sako, tapos naghahabulan sila na kunin ‘yung mga nalulunod nang mais, kaso sa kasamaang-palad, medyo lumakas na ‘yung agos ng tubig sa ilog,” Dumayag said.

(I saw the floating sacks, then they chased to get the drowning corn. Unfortunately, the flow of water in the river got a little stronger.)

“Tulong-tulong po kami na naghilahan. Kaso ang masaklap nga lang po, huli na. Hindi naman nila in-expect na ganoon ‘yung mangyayari, na tataas yung tubig,” he added.

Cagayan farmers cry for help after Maring destroyed crops

(We helped each other pull the crops. The case is just bad. It’s too late. They did not expect that to happen, that the water would rise.)

Dumayag asked for aid for Cagayan and the affected farmers, who shared with him that they would end up in more debt after their crops got destroyed.

The damage to crops is estimated at P14 million, while the damage to livestock is P353,000.

The center of Severe Tropical Storm “MARING” was estimated based on all available data over 765 km West of Calayan, Cagayan (outside the PAR).

Despite weakening trend of forecast rainfall over Northern Luzon in the next 24 hours, the high saturation of soil moisture in these areas due to large amounts of antecedent rainfall meant that flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides are still likely especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps even in the event of light to moderate rains.