Severe Tropical Storm Paeng’s damage to agriculture and fisheries in the province of Iloilo has reached almost half a billion pesos.

According to the provincial government, the value of damage to the sectors stood at P419,599,694.48 as of Nov. 2.

A total of 3.1 hectares of cornfields were totally ruined and 214.97 hectares were partially damaged, affecting 225 farmers from 16 towns

Paeng also wrecked 1.34 hectares of high-value crops, affecting 1,697 farmers from 11 towns.

Meanwhile, 766 livestock and poultry farmers from 11 towns were affected by the typhoon.

In the fisheries sector, 540 fishing boats, 430 fishing gears, 391 fish ponds, 290 seaweed farms, and 185 shellfish farms were damaged, affecting 1,836 fishers from 23 towns.

Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Ildefonso Toledo said they are expecting the figures to increase as other towns have yet to submit their reports.

The whole Western Visayas region, including Iloilo, is currently under a state of calamity due the devastation left by Paeng.IMT