Body of missing typhoon victim in Oriental Mindoro found

Evacuation from Typhoon Nina in the Bicol Region: The typhoon has caused havoc not only in Bicol but parts of the Calabarzon and Southern Tagalog as well. (AFP FILE PHOTO)

CITY OF CALAPAN — After being carried away by river currents at the height of typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-ten), the third storm casualty in Oriental Mindoro was found floating at the riverside of Socorro town Wednesday morning.

Barangay (village) chairman Ricardo Diona told police of the discovery of the body by resident Johny Doncancel at around 8 a.m. in Sitio (sub-village) Duongan in Barangay Lapog. The body was identified later as that of Michael Merjan Hugno, 37.

Michael and his brother Zaldy, 25, were reported to have drowned at Subaan River in the same village on December 26, when Nina hit the province.

The two were trying to retrieve floating logs in the river. When Michael attempted to swim back to the river shoreline, he was taken by the strong current of the river.

Zaldy quickly jumped into the river to rescue Michael but he was also carried away by the current. Three days later, the bloated decomposing cadaver of Zaldy was found floating at Naujan Lake by village councilor Edwardo Dalisay Landicho.

The brothers were  buried by relatives with assistance from the local government unit at Socorro public cemetery.

Zaldy and Michael were the second and third typhoon casualties in the province. The first casualty was Mangyan Marcia Malinao, aka Soledad Licdawan, from San Teodoro town.  She was crushed and trapped among the branches of a lanzones tree that was swept away by strong winds.  SFM