(COLOMBO) – Official statistics released on Tuesday revealed that at least 289 drowning deaths have been recorded since the beginning of the year, with a significant number of school children among the victims.
The bulk of the deaths had taken places in areas demarcated as dangerous for bathing but apparently ignored by the victims, the statistics added.
Most of the victims have gone for swimming and bathing in unsafe waterways and village tanks in the country. On Sunday alone, seven people had died due to drowning and among them were two mothers and three schoolchildren.
Two PHIs too had died on Sunday due to drowning.
Authorities say some adults have drowned while bathing under the influence of liquor during pleasure trips.
Under these circumstances, the Education Ministry has warned all school heads, parents and senior students of schools to be on alert and school heads are advised not to allow students to go on unessential trips without the permission of school authorities,” Kurunegala District Senior Education Director W. M. Balasooriya said on Monday.
