Carmen, Cebu tragedy: Search for last missing person continues
6 dead missing victims - newlywed couple, 4 others - of river flashflood tragedy found
Authorities have shifted their operation for search and retrieval of the body of the last missing victim of the last Monday’s flash flood in Brgy. Cantumog, Carmen, Cebu. | Mayor Carlo Villamor FB
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Authorities have retrieved the bodies of six of the seven individuals, who went missing after they were swept away by raging waters of a river last Monday, July 8.
They were among 17 people aboard a red pickup truck crossing the spillway in a river in Barangay Cantumog, Carmen town in northern Cebu when their vehicle was swept away by a flashflood with the onrushing water of the river coming from the mountains, which experienced heavy rains earlier in the afternoon that day.
After one day of search and rescue operations, six of the victims were found while one is still missing.
READ MORE:
Carmen tragedy: Pregnant woman jumped after husband
Cebu river sweeps away pickup truck with 17 people: 1 dead, 6 missing
Carmen: Family outing ends in tragedy after flashfloods sweep pick-up
The tragedy happened happened at past 5:00 p.m. on Monday, July 8, as the victims were on their way home from having a party at a mountain resort in Sitio Mangingit, Brgy. Lower Natimao-an.
A few hours after the seven victims were swept away, they recovered the body of 11-year-old child, Arshane Bejoc, in a river in Brgy. Luyang, a few kilometers downstream.
On Tuesday, July 9, disaster operatives retrieved the body of Rhesamie Ypil Costan, 26, floating in the same river.
She was six months pregnant.
Authorities then reportedly found Nathaniel Lozano, 12; and Clarisse Ypil, 13, in the waters off Panalipan, Catmon.
They also retrieved the body of Aishie Hermoso, 12, in Consuelo, Camotes.
READ MORE:
Carmen, Cebu tragedy: Body of pregnant woman, 12-yr-old boy found
50,000 residents affected by floods in 2 Maguindanao del Sur towns
Meanwhile, some fishermen found the body of Elmer Costan, 25, floating in the waters of Macaas, Catmon at around 2:00 p.m. on the same day.
He was wearing a black shirt and was positively identified by his relatives.
Elmer and Rhesamie are newlyweds, who tied the knot last Saturday, July 6.
Out of the seven individuals who were swept away by the flash flood waters, only one remained missing as of Wednesday, July 10.
Carmen Mayor Carlo Villamor said in his post on Wednesday that authorities were still on the search for Mike Stanly Tungal, 15.
Furthermore, the search and rescue operation for Tungal had been shifted to search and retrieval operation.
The victims were onboard a red pickup truck with 10 other individuals on the day of the incident.
Unfortunately, their vehicle was struck by a huge volume of flood waters as they were trying to cross a spillway in Barangay Cantumog.
A total of 10 individuals were able to get off on a large rock and were promptly rescued.
The rescued persons from the Carmen flash floods were: Ranilo Hermoso, 44, the driver of the vehicle; Debie Hermoso, 40; Jojielyn Tungal, 39; Jasmine Gica, 37; 4 six-year-old girls; an 11-year-old girl; and a 16-year-old girl.
They were subjected to psychosocial intervention and were sent home on Tuesday.
Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of Cebudailynews. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards.
