TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - To assess the damages caused by severe tropical storm 'Florita', the members of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) region 2 have conducted an aerial inspection in the provinces of Cagayan and Isabela.

Through the air asset of the Tactical Operations Group 2 - Philippine Airforce, the team, led by Council chair and Civil Defense Regional Director Leon DG. Rafael, together with representatives from the Philippine Information Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Department of Health, assessed particularly the agriculture areas of the two affected provinces. 

Based on the team's Regional Disaster Assessment and Needs Analysis, Rafael said there were no severe damages to houses and infrastructures but the agricultural crops were devastated. 

"We saw that there are a lot of corn, palay and vegetable plants that were destroyed by the typhoon. There are those that are already in maturity stage and about to be harvested but we are hopeful that the farmers can still harvest some out of these,"  Rafael said. 

Despite the damages to agricultural crops, Rafael is still thankful that the weather disturbance spared other sectors and the activities of the people immediately back to normal situation. 

"We are still thankful because we haven't experienced the strength of the typhoons in the past in which several houses and infrastructures were affected, and economic activities took time to be back into the normal situation," Rafael said. 

He said the council members, especially the agriculture department and the local government units are now implementing programs to help the farmers rehabilitate the damaged agricultural plants. (OTB/PIA Region 2)