Agricultural losses from Typhoon Danas at least NT$250 million

Taipei, July 7 (CNA) Taiwan has suffered at least NT$250 million (US$8.61 million) in agricultural losses caused by Typhoon Danas, according to initial estimates by the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) as of 11 a.m. Monday.

The losses were concentrated in southern Taiwan, with Tainan reporting NT$210.24 million (82 percent of the total) in losses; Chiayi County NT$22.3 million (9 percent); Yunlin County NT$20.83 million (8 percent); and Nantou County NT$2.7 million (1 percent), the MOA said in a statement.

There have also been losses reported in Pingtung County and Kaohsiung.

Most of the damage reported thus far involved crops, with total losses of at least NT$237.91 million as of Monday morning, followed by agricultural infrastructure with losses totaling N$16.9 million and livestock with losses of NT$2.35 million, the MOA said.

The hardest-hit crop were pomelos, which reported losses of NT$118.4 million, followed by longans with losses of at least NT$34.43 million.

Ponkan mandarins, food corn and bananas also suffered estimated losses of at least NT$17.52 million, NT$12.33 million and NT$9.62 million, respectively, the ministry said.

Livestock losses primarily involved chickens, according to the MOA.

Pomelos -- grown mainly in Tainan -- were largely damaged by strong gusts from the typhoon that swept the fruit from their trees and left only about 10-30 percent still intact, Tainan Mayor Huang Wei-che (黃偉哲) said.

Most of the fallen fruit was not ripe and could not be processed, he said.

The city's Agriculture Bureau said it has begun helping fruit farmers haul away fallen pomelos and is actively seeking natural disaster relief from the MOA, while also coordinating with the ministry on follow-up compensation plans.

Danas made landfall in Budai Township, Chiayi County, as a typhoon late Sunday night but was downgraded to a tropical storm early Monday after losing momentum.

The Central Weather Administration lifted its land warning for the storm at 11 a.m., followed by the sea warning at 5:30 p.m. after the system moved further north. However, the agency maintained a heavy rain alert for southern Taiwan.