TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan (PIA) - - Super Typhoon ‘Egay’ has claimed one life and caused almost P1.5-billion worth of damages to infrastructure facilities and agricultural crops as it left Cagayan Valley Region’s vicinity. 

Sunshine Asuncion, information officer of the Office of the Civil Defense - Region 2, said a 52-year-old pandesal bread vendor from Ramon, Isabela died as typhoon Egay passed by the Cagayan-Isabela area on July 26.

“According to the report, she was driving her bicycle with a sidecar to sell bread when a tree fell and hit her that caused her immediate death,” Asuncion said. 

She also said the victim was already declared as an official casualty caused by the wrath of the Typhoon Egay. 

Based on the latest report, Abulug town and some barangays in Calayan Island experienced flooding. 

On infrastructure, Wilson Valdez, information officer of the Department of Public Works and Highways - Region 2, said estimated P1.156-billion pesos worth of initial damage to public infrastructure such as flood control facilities, bridges, road and public facilities was recorded by the agency. 

He said all major roads going to Metro Manila are passable except for a portion of a road network in Calog Sur, Abulug, Cagayan that remains underwater. 

“Only that portion going to the towns in the northwestern portion of Cagayan and Ilocos region is not passable for now but we are already looking for alternative routes,” Valdez said. 

On agriculture, Paul Vincent Balao of the Department of Agriculture Region 2, said the majority of the damaged crops is on corn with over 28, 000 hectares partially damaged in Cagayan and 9,500 hectares in Isabela. 

“We believe that the majority of the damaged corn plants have a chance of recovery,” Balao said. 

He also said there was an estimated initial damages in ‘palay’, livestock, fisheries, fruits, vegetables which translates into a total of P340.8-million worth of losses in the agriculture sector. 

“Our technical people are still on field to conduct rapid assessment of the damages and we have yet to receive reports from the island and from some of the coastal towns” he added. 

In Batanes, Justine Socito, provincial administrator, said no major damage was incurred on the livelihood and houses of the Ivatans. They also recorded zero casualties.

“We are back into normal life. We only saw some damage to the agricultural crops of our farmers. Those who evacuated have already gone back to their respective houses,” he said. 

He also informed that flights are still suspended today and also sea travels to the islands. (OTB/PIA-Region 2)