A COUPLE died while their two children were injured when an uprooted strangler fig tree, locally known as balete, toppled on their house in Barangay Sinunuc, Zamboanga City, during a downpour Wednesday morning.

Dr. Elmeir Jade Apolinario, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, identified the fatalities as Nasser Sajili, 53, and his wife, Nursilin, 40.

The couple’s children Rakib, 15, and Hadiya, 11, were brought to a hospital after they sustained bruises and contusions, Apolinario said.

Tammang Musa, a neighbor of the victims, said they heard a rumbling sound, but thought it was just strong winds and heavy rains brought about by the inclement weather that affected Zamboanga City since Sunday.

When they saw the fallen balete tree on the victims' house, Musa said they rushed to the site and managed to pull Rakib and Hadiya from the rubble.

However, Nursilin died on the spot while Nasser died on the way to the hospital.