An American national living in barangay Caidiocan, Valencia, Negros Oriental and his live-in partner died after their vehicle was carried by a strong flood Tuesday dawn as they were trying to cross the Buayahan spillway in barangay Cambucad, Valencia town.{{more}}
In a report to the Provincial Police Office, P/Sr. Insp. Ronilo Macasilhig, the Valencia chief of police, identified the fatalities as Russel Harvey, 66, of Florida, USA and Genara Laguras Cua, 56, of Valencia town.
The couple was going to the market at 3:50 a.m. when their vehicle, a Suzuki multicab, was carried away by the raging river.
Their cries for help were heard by nearby residents, who tried to throw a them a lifeline.
The Valencia police and Valencia Fire Department rescue team, as well as the Dumaguete City Viper Rescue Team and the Sibulan police also went to the area to look for the two persons.
Harvey’s body was found floating by the Okoy bridge in Sibulan town at 9 am., about three kilometers from the Buayahan spillway, while the body of Laguras-Cua was found by policemen and Bantay Dagat personnel of Sibulan town floating by the sea between Sibulan and Dumaguete at 4:40 p.m.
The two victims were brought to the Eterna Funeral Parlor in Dumaguete for post mortem examination.
Police also recovered parts of the vehicle, which was ripped to pieces by the floodwaters.