Typhoon Krathon-related agricultural losses approach NT$500 million

Taipei, Oct. 9 (CNA) The value of agricultural crop and equipment losses caused by Typhoon Krathon reached NT$498.6 million as of Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).

Southern Taiwan was ravaged by strong winds and heavy rains brought by the typhoon that killed four and injured 719 last week, with banana, guava and wax apple crops most severely hit.

Pingtung County suffered the lion's share of the typhoon's impact on agricultural production, with 59 percent (NT$295.45 million) of the total losses.

Kaohsiung City, where the typhoon made landfall on Oct. 3 with maximum sustained winds of 126 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 162 kph, was second-hardest hit, incurring 22 percent (NT$110.79 million) of the total agricultural damage.

Taitung County also reported losses of NT$36.94 million, or 7 percent of the total.

According to data from the MOA, 5,782 hectares of agricultural land were impacted with a damage level of around 20 percent, which translates into an "unharvested area" of 1,183 hectares.

In addition to losses from crop damage amounting to NT$378.23 million, privately-owned agriculture-related infrastructure worth NT$112.89 million was also impacted.

Of the NT$112.89 million, NT$44.84 million relates to loss of agriculturally viable land and NT$15.58 million to damaged agricultural facilities such as horizontal trellises and greenhouses, while NT$17.93 million relates to livestock facilities and NT$34.53 million to fisheries equipment.