Bulacan, Oct. 31 -- Severe Tropical Storm Paeng left this province with one fatality while damage to agricultural crops was initially estimated at PHP15 million.

Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO)-Bulacan head Liz Mungcal identified the victim as Leo Chaves of Barangay San Roque, City of San Jose del Monte, who drowned at the height of the storm.

Chaves was reportedly missing since 1 p.m. on Saturday and his body was retrieved along the Santa Maria River system in Barangay Santo Cristo, City of San Jose Del Monte around 6 a.m. Sunday.

Mungcal said Paeng damaged over 730 hectares of agricultural areas in the province, affecting some 795 farmers and fishermen.

She said the affected commodities include rice, ve...