By BEN SERRANO
Correspondent
BUTUAN City–An eight-year old girl drowned while playing with her friends in what used to be a dumpsite in Dumalagan here on Sunday.
The city police identified the victim as Japhith Guaba of P-9, Barangay Dumalagan.
P03 Anthony Echin said a barangay councilor, Anabelle Lumantao, reported the drowning to authorities.
Police said the victim and her friends went to the area to swim in floodwaters that filled up an abandoned eight-meter deep and 17-meter wide hole following days of heavy rain.
Police said Guaba’s friends panicked and quickly sought help when they realized that the girl was already missing. Two men who came to help subsequently found the body.
Police investigators, who looked into the incident, said they found no indications of foul play, and it was clear to them that the girl drowned.
The government’s failure to place barriers around the hole have long been criticized by villagers who said the area has been posing grave dangers to the public.
Last week’s heavy rains in Caraga and elsewhere in the country due to a weather system filled up the hole that used to be for garbage.
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