4 Bulacan students drown

MANILA, Philippines - Four students taking up Tourism drowned in a flashflood while on an educational tour in Madlum Cave in San Miguel, Bulacan yesterday afternoon.

The casualties, two males and two females, were students of the Bulacan State University (BSU). Their identities were not immediately established. Three other students are reportedly missing.

Superintendent Ganaban Ali, San Miguel Police chief, said incident took place around 2:30 p.m. when a sudden upsurge of water occurred in the cave and toppled the raft carrying the students.

Police said the casualties were with 180 other Tourism students, three teachers and 10 tourist guides.

Although the rain was not heavy in the area at the time of the incident, authorities expressed belief that the water came from the mountainous areas nearby, triggering the flashfloods.