By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – A 21-year-old survivor was orphaned as his mother was among the two fatalities who were found yesterday at Barangay Crossing Magallon, Moises Padilla, Negros Occidental.
The two were victims of a flash flood at Barangay Montilla on Tuesday.
Reynald Horegue, head of the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (MDRRMO), identified the fatalities as Jovelyn Banaag, 48, and her neighbor, Edmund Samson, 17. Their bodies were retrieved around 6 a.m.
On Wednesday morning, the survivor’s father, Roldan Banaag Sr., 50 and his cousin, Danilo, 17, were also found dead in separate areas.
These four casualties drowned when a flash flood hit their two tricycles while they were crossing the Alingasaw-Kabayabasan overflow bridge in Barangay Montilla on Tuesday.
They traveled from Hinigaran town to visit their relatives at the adjacent barangay after attending a birthday party of another kin at Barangay Magallon Cadre.
Horegue said the remains of the fatalities were already brought to their hometown.
Meanwhile, Horegue thanked the rescue units of neighboring towns of Isabela, La Castellana, Hinigaran, and Binalbagan for their support and assistance in the search and retrieval operations.
