50 people, mostly children, drown in Afghanistan this year

KABUL (Pajhwok): Since April this year, 50 individuals drowned in rivers in 15 provinces of Afghanistan and most of the victims, 90 percent, happened to be youth and children, according to Pajhwok’s findings.

Thirty people drowned and died while swimming in rivers and the remaining 20 persons, including 18 children, drowned after accidently falling into water.

The Afghanistan Swimming Federation says instructions and awareness campaigns about swimming in rivers should be conducted to prevent drowning incidents.

Pajhwok Afghan News documented 40 drowning incidents from April 12 to July 29 this year and up to three persons lost lives in some incidents.

According to Pajhwok’s reports, one person drowned and died on April 12 and another on April 14.

In May, 18 people lost their lives after drowning, followed by eight people in June, and 21 in July.

Hamid Rahimi, Director of the Afghanistan Swimming Federation, highlighted that drowning remained a critical issue in summer as several lives were lost annually.

Notably, nearly half of these drowning fatalities occurred in just three provinces.

The findings show 10 deaths occurred due to drowning in Helmand, six each in Badghis and Nangarhar, three each in Daikundi and Badakhshan, and two each in Bamyan, Ghazni, and Maidan Wardak.

Additionally, one death each occurred in Samangan, Ghor, Kapisa and Laghman provinces.

Maulvi Juma Khan, Director of Preparedness Against Natural Disasters in Helmand, explained that Helmand led other provinces in terms of deaths from drowning.

He noted his department was actively working to spread awareness and implement preventive measures.

Khan urged people to secure dangerous points and advised against swimming in unfamiliar locations.

According to Khan, many victims are children whose families neglect proper supervision. He stressed the importance of family responsibility in safeguarding children.

In a recent incident in Khanshin district, Helmand, a 25-year-old man drowned while swimming.

Ahmad Pashtun, the victim’s maternal uncle, said that his nephew stopped his car on he riverbank to swim, but drowned.

Pashtun called on the government to instruct mosque imams to raise awareness about water safety and urged families to educate their members about the risks of swimming in unsafe areas.

Data indicates that young people and children constitute one in every twenty drowning fatalities.

This year, those downed included 11 children (including one girl and 11 boys), 22 men and youths, and five elders. Of these fatalities, 30 occurred while individuals were swimming, while the remaining 20—comprising two young people and 18 children—drowned after falling into water.

One of the young fell into water while crossing a bridge, and the other was fishing. A high number children and young people frequently visit recreational areas where swimming is common.

Preventing Drowning: Recommendations and Measures

Hamid Rahimi, Head of the Afghanistan Swimming Federation, emphasizes the importance of professional swimming instructions and public awareness to prevent drowning incidents.

He highlights that swimming is not only a sport, but also a critical life skill. The Federation regularly makes announcements encouraging people to seek training through their programs.

Rahimi also noted that the Federation has established collaborative agreements with the Fire Department of the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Natural Disaster Management to provide training to their personnel.

However, the Federation lacks resources and budget to conduct widespread public awareness campaigns across provinces.

He urged individuals who had not received proper swimming training to avoid swimming in fast-moving or deep water, as such conditions posed significant risks.

Rahimi called for government support to expand the Federation’s efforts in providing essential training and safety education to the public.

sa/ma

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