KABUL, July 26– At least 148 people have lost their lives to accidental drowning across Afghanistan over the past 12 months, while 23 others sustained injuries, the country’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) announced on Saturday.
The figures were released to coincide with World Drowning Prevention Day. Taj Mohammad Hemat, deputy spokesperson for the authority, cited several key factors behind the rise in incidents, including soaring summer temperatures driving people to seek relief in rivers and waterways, inadequate safety precautions, unsupervised play near dams and high-risk zones, and lapses in parental oversight of children.
Hemat emphasized that many of these tragedies could have been averted through basic preventive measures, urging citizens to strictly adhere to safety protocols when engaging in swimming or recreational activities near rivers, lakes, canals, and other water bodies.
Drowning remains a significant yet underreported public health concern in Afghanistan, where limited access to swimming education, poorly maintained infrastructure, and weak enforcement of safety measures continue to heighten risks, particularly during the warmer months.
(Namibia Daily News/Xinhua)
