Woman, 2 girls drown in Palawan river amid storm

CITY OF CALAPAN – Three young girls drowned while swimming in a river in Busuanga town in Palawan province on Wednesday afternoon as Tropical Storm “Ramil” dumped rain on southern Luzon, police said Thursday.

Reports reaching the MIMAROPA regional police office said Laiza Mayo, 21, and sisters Catherine, 13, and Catline Apolinario, 12, drowned in Demachikchik River in Sitio Demagen, Barangay Salvacion at about 2:50 p.m.

Police said it was raining hard when the girls went swimming with their cousins.

The strong river current swept them towards the deeper portion of the river where they drowned. Their cousins attempted to rescue them but were not able to get the girls out of the river.

The girls were brought by Busuanga police and disaster responders to the Busuanga Rural Health Unit where physicians tried to revive them but failed. /cbb