Lead sought on missing missionary

LYNN – As heavy rain swept Lynn Tuesday, Jessica Soriano tried to call her sister and got no reply. Soriano is now convinced the bad weather may be a factor in Joanna Soriano?s disappearance.?Maybe she went inside somewhere to avoid the rain. We have no idea. We can?t think of any reason,” she said.The Lynn Police Department is asking for help finding Joanna Soriano, a 19-year-old resident of the Philippines with a slight build and long black hair. She was wearing black pants, a brown leopard print shirt with a white front and black sneakers on Tuesday.Her disappearance occurred during a several month-long trip to the United States by the sisters that Jessica Soriano said included religious gospel concerts in California and New York. She said they traveled from the Philippines to California in May, spending time in the state, before traveling in late July to New York City.?We were tourists and we wanted to see some places,” she said.The pair visited Lowell earlier this month and attended an Aug. 15 Cambodian water festival in Lowell. By Monday they had traveled by car with a driver to Lynn. Jessica Soriano said they experienced car problems and the driver took the car to a shop on Tuesday while the sisters explored Lynn, splitting up at one point.?I last saw her at 11:30 a.m.,” she said.Soriano said she attempted to contact Joanna at about 2 p.m. but could not reach her. She initially speculated her sister had forgotten to charge her phone. After the car repairs were made, Soriano, the driver and another friend drove around Lynn looking for Jessica.?When night approached, we got worried,” she said.The Sorianos? travel plans called for a return to New York, but Jessica Soriano?s calls to friends about her missing sister prompted New York resident Muriel Hurralde to come to Lynn to help with the search.?We?ve been looking for her. We?ve looked everywhere. She disappeared when it was raining so hard,” Hurralde said.Soriano said police are talking to Union, Joyce and Essex Street business owners and reviewing security camera video footage for any sign of her sister.Police ask anybody with information on Joanna Soriano?s whereabouts to call 781-595-2000. Anonymous text information can be sent to police by texting “tiplynn” and the info to tip411.