2 teens drown in swamp in Sipalay, Negros Occidental

Two 13-year-old girls drowned in a swamp in Sitio Vito, Barangay Camindangan in Sipalay City, Negros Occidental on Saturday noon.

The fatalities were identified as Lovely Mae Apas and her friend Regine Baynosa, both residents of Sitio Lagundi of the same barangay.

Apas' brother Alex, 15, also nearly drowned.

Severo Hablado, head of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), said the three went to the nearby sitio to get peanuts.

Since the peanut plantation is near the swamp, they agreed to swim.

"The victims were not able to estimate the depth of the water, which has increased due to heavy rains just the other day," Hablado said, adding that other areas in Sipalay were also flooded on Friday.

Alex made it to land and approached nearby residents for help.

However, it took them almost an hour to find the victims' submerged bodies because of the depth of the mud-colored water.

The survivor was brought to Merceditas J. Montilla District Hospital and is currently recuperating. — BM, GMA News