Deaths by drowning a concern

ttractive water spots where people go to beat the heat are turning out to be death traps. Accidental deaths due to drowning in waterbodies continue to be an issue of concern, as districts in Western Tamil Nadu are claiming over 300 lives every year.

According to statistics from the Fire and Rescue Services Department, as many as 1,021 persons have accidentally drowned and died in waterbodies in this region from 2012 to 2014. In the same period, 792 were rescued. Officials said that in most instances, the drowning spots were not tourist spots.

“Caution boards erected by the Revenue Department and the authorities seem to be drawing little attention as tourists take it for granted. They bathe in those attractive water pockets without knowing the water current or what danger awaits at the bottom of the waterbodies – slush or rocky surface,” says S.R. Chandran, Divisional Fire Officer.

In Western Tamil Nadu, waterbodies in Coimbatore and The Nilgiris (combined) claimed more lives, followed by Tirupur, Salem and Dindigul. However, there is commendable drop in deaths by drowning in the last three years. The number of persons rescued from these waterbodies has gone up in the same period. An example is Bhavani river behind Vanabadrakaliamman Temple at Mettupalayam that claims not less than two lives every month. “Worst of all is youths, in an inebriated condition, step into the water. Their swimming skills are no matter as their chances of survival is less,” the officer added.

There are incidents in rivers and canals where more than one person died, when one of the victims (without taking precaution) try to save a friend caught in the water current or slushy bottom of the waterbody. The fire officer said that in rural pockets, many people died when they fell into open wells that do not have side walls.

In the city, most incidents of children drowning are reported where there are open groundwater tanks mostly at construction sites and houses. “We have rescued many and retrieved bodies of people who get into abandoned wells to catch pigeons dwelling in holes on the well’s sides,” Mr. Chandran said. Fire and rescue services personnel provide experienced swimmers at waterbodies during auspicious days like Aadi Perukku, immersion of idols for Vinayaka Chathurthi and during Pongal. The personnel expressed the need for an awareness campaign on deaths by drowning on a par with the awareness drives conducted to combat road accident deaths.

Regarding safety measures at tourist places, a Forest Department official said that one of the areas where there were more incidents of drowning was Nandakarai and it was not located in the reserved forest. The police had erected warning boards there and the department had also suggested putting up hand rails.

At Kovai Courtrallam which witnessed deaths due to flash floods, the department had already installed a siren as an early warning system to alert tourists and was also planning to have hand railings put up to ensure additional safety features, said District Forest Officer M. Senthil Kumar.