THE 12-year-old girl who went missing while swimming in a river in Barangay Can-asujan, Carcar City, southern Cebu on Monday afternoon was found dead on Tuesday morning, July 26, 2022.

Jendie Paran of Sitio Oliveros, Can-asujan was swimming in the river with four other companions when she was swept by the flood caused by heavy downpour in the upland area around 3 p.m. Monday, July 25.

Personnel from the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Bantay Dagat, and the Philippine Coast Guard who conducted a rescue operation found the victim’s body stuck on a tree branch along the waterway at 2 a.m. Tuesday in Sitio Inayagan, Barangay Tuyom, Carcar, which is about 10 kilometers from the area where the girl had gone swimming.

Lt. Col. Ardiolito Cabagnot, chief of Carcar Police Station, told SunStar Cebu that Paran’s body was retrieved at 6 a.m on Tuesday.

Cabagnot said it took the emergency responders long before they could find the victim as she was covered by debris that were swept by the flood.

Advise to parents

Cabagnot advised parents not to allow their children to swim in the river to avoid similar incidents from happening again.

The date (July 25) when Paran was swept by the strong current was observed as the World Drowning Prevention Day, which was declared by the United Nations in April 2021 to bring coordinated multisectoral action to prevent drowning.

More than 3,000 Filipinos die each year from drowning, with children particularly vulnerable to this preventable occurrence, according to the Department of Health.