Let's work together to prevent drowning.

BPO - In recent years, drowning incidents among students in the province have occurred frequently, especially during the summer. During the summer, the hot weather often leads children to go swimming in ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams – areas prone to drowning – and there have been numerous tragic cases of drowning.

A series of drowning incidents

According to statistics, in the first four months of 2025, the province experienced 6 drowning accidents, resulting in 7 child deaths. Compared to the same period in 2024, there was a decrease of 3 deaths (in the first four months of 2024, the province experienced 6 drowning accidents, resulting in 10 child deaths).

Most recently, on the afternoon of April 20th, the family of Mr. Le Thanh and Ms. Nguyen Thi Chung, residing in Hamlet 2, Long Ha Commune, Phu Rieng District, along with their two sons, LB (15 years old) and LH (10 years old), and some relatives, went to the Be River area, specifically the rocky area under the Tra Thanh Bridge (Long Ha Commune), to play and swim. While swimming, the older brother saw his younger brother fall into a deep water hole and jumped in to rescue him. Subsequently, both brothers drowned. Family members made efforts to search for them and simultaneously notified local security forces and the Long Ha Commune Police for assistance, but without success.

The Steering Committee for Disaster Prevention and Search and Rescue in Bu Dop District has erected warning signs in Can Don Lake to prevent drowning accidents and reduce the number of drowning incidents.

Previously, on April 17th, a child drowned in Tan Phu town, Dong Phu district. Specifically, after returning from school, T.P.L. (born in 2020), residing in Group 7, Tan An neighborhood, Tan Phu town, went to a neighbor's house with a group of friends to play and unfortunately fell into a koi pond. At 6 PM, Mr. Duong Duc Khai (the homeowner) discovered L. floating on the surface of his family's koi pond. Mr. Khai called for help and administered first aid to L., then took him to the district's Medical Center; however, L. had already died.

Mr. Hoang Dai Hieu, Chairman of the Tan Phu Town People's Committee, said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident that just occurred in our town, where a child drowned and died. This is a great loss for the child's family and also a wake-up call for the entire community to strengthen the protection and care of children, especially during the summer. The Town People's Committee has directed functional forces to quickly arrive at the scene, support the victim's family, and carry out the necessary procedures. At the same time, we will strengthen propaganda, inspect areas with potential safety risks, and encourage people to be more vigilant and not let children play alone in dangerous areas. We hope that every family and citizen will join hands with the local government to prevent drowning so that similar heartbreaking incidents do not happen again.”

To minimize drowning accidents.

Drowning accidents among children have become a major concern for families and authorities every summer. Summer is the time when students often go swimming in ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams. Swimming freely in cool water amidst the sweltering heat is a joy for them, but it also poses a significant risk of drowning if not supervised by parents, especially for children in rural areas. Many incidents in recent times have left families and society heartbroken.

Authorities and local residents searched throughout the night for Le B. (15 years old) and Le H. (10 years old) who drowned.

Binh Phuoc has a dense network of ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, posing many risks of drowning, especially during the rainy season. Safe playgrounds for children are not yet fully guaranteed; there is a lack of fences and warning signs in areas with a high risk of drowning... Therefore, we will coordinate with relevant levels and sectors to overcome these shortcomings, encourage families to proactively enroll their children in swimming lessons and water safety skills training; and organize swimming and water safety skills classes for children.

Deputy Director of the Department of Health, PHAM THI MAI HUONG

According to Ms. Pham Thi Mai Huong, Deputy Director of the Department of Health, the main causes of child drownings in recent years stem from disadvantaged families, children accompanying their parents to work or staying at home with grandparents without adult supervision; the lack of widespread swimming skills among children; and the ineffectiveness of awareness campaigns in some localities. From the practical experience of these incidents, it is evident that most children are unaware of the ever-present danger of drowning, lacking knowledge and swimming skills. Most of these children are teenagers who are active and like to gather in groups to play near rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes on hot days.

To minimize the number of child drownings, local authorities, families, and parents must constantly remind their children not to play in dangerous areas near rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. At the same time, it is necessary to raise awareness and responsibility among agencies, organizations, and individuals in preventing and combating child drowning in areas with a high risk of drowning. Strengthen propaganda and encourage families to regularly pay attention to and supervise children, especially during summer holidays and the rainy season.

In addition, agencies, departments, and localities need to pay attention to investing in and organizing swimming lessons, water safety training, and drowning prevention for children, especially prioritizing support for poor and disadvantaged children. At the same time, they should increase the use of libraries, clubs, cultural centers, playgrounds, recreational areas, and sports facilities to serve children during the summer... contributing to reducing drowning accidents.

Source: https://baobinhphuoc.com.vn/news/9/172479/chung-tay-phong-chong-duoi-nuoc