Picnic with grandma turns tragic: One dies, another missing in floods

CEBU, Philippines – A Sunday afternoon of bonding with grandmother turned tragic for two children in sitio Kabuwan, barangay Cogon, Naga in southern Cebu.

One has been found dead while the other remain missing as of 6 p.m. yesterday.

Sisters Chris, 13, and Reniel, 8, and their brother Reynan, 9, all surnamed Paran were with their grandmother Agripina Paran, 58, on their way to her house to grill corn.

While they were walking along the riverbank, they suddenly fell into the raging waters.

Agripina was able to hold on to some of the plants that grew on the banks and Reynan was able to hold on to her. The two survived.

But Chris and Reniel were carried by the raging waters.

Chris was found an hour later, about 4 p.m., in sitio Kandatu, Guindaruhan, Minglanilla about a kilometer away from where she fell. She was stuck in the boulders that were on the river.

She was rushed to the hospital, but was declared dead on arrival.

Teams are still looking for Reniel.

Agripina sustained bruises due to the accident while Reynan, though unhurt physically, still could not talk due to the traumatic incident.

The river was swollen after heavy rains fell last Sunday.

It was also reported that the reason why the grandmother and the kids were carried by the current was that there was a flashflood that swept them into the river.

Maria Reyna Paran, mother of the children, said that she did not approve at first of her kids going with their grandmother, but had to give in as they were insistent to go.

The kids live with their parents in barangay West Poblacion, Naga.

Their father Crisanto was at work when the incident happened.

Luckily for the eldest child of the couple, he was not able to go as he played basketball with friends when their grandmother came to fetch his siblings.

Cogon barangay councilman Elmer Paran said that the incident happened near the crusher plants of two companies.

He said that they will check the drainage system built by one of the companies if this might have caused the flashfloods.

The firm has, however, been operating in the area for 20 years.

Naga Mayor Valdemar Chiong assured that the victims will get free medical assistance.

The local government will also check the site where the incident happened to identify measures that would be taken to prevent similar incidents.

Three years ago, two sisters also died in the Guindaruhan river when they were swept away by floods while trying to cross it.

Capitol has also said that it will extend assistance to the victims. - Nylpha Costelo, PIT intern/NLQ (FREEMAN)