Boy swept away by river river found as Cebu continues to experience rains

Local

RAINY weather will continue in Cebu until Thursday, Sept. 17, as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) continues to affect the Visayas and Mindanao, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Mactan (Pagasa-Mactan) said the ITCZ will continue to bring rains to Cebu, with possible occasional heavy rains.

“We will be expecting occasional heavy rains with possible flash floods and landslides,” said Jhomer Eclarino, chief weather forecaster at Pagasa-Mactan.

Eclarino said Tuesday’s downpour, which caused flooding in several parts of Metro Cebu, was also due to the prevailing ITCZ.

Inclement weather conditions in Cebu City also claimed the life of a nine-year-old boy.

The victim, identified only as Yuri, was swept away while playing along the banks of the Butuanon River in Barangay Budlaan, Cebu City.

Disaster and rescue personnel recovered his body around 10 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Tingub, Mandaue City, roughly five kilometers downstream.

According to Councilor Dave Tumulak, Yuri was playing with friends along the riverbanks in Sitio Gawad Kalinga, Barangay Budlaan, around 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

When their ball bounced into the water, Yuri reportedly tried to retrieve it but was swept away by the strong river currents.

Residents in nearby Sitio Metavill, Barangay Talamban, reportedly spotted the boy and attempted to rescue him, Tumulak said.

However, the strong river currents prevented them from doing so.

The search and rescue operations for the boy took approximately 19 hours amid bad weather.

Pagasa-Mactan said weather conditions in Cebu are expected to improve by Friday.

In the meantime, the weather bureau urged the public to regularly monitor weather updates.(RBE)