KOCHI: Shwetha splashed into Periyar river at Thattekad like she always used to. However, little did the 17-year-old, who was on a vacation with her family, know of the pivots awaiting her in the waters. According to official figures, this incident isn’t just a one-off case. Ernakulam has witnessed around 20 drowning-related deaths in May alone. Out of those, four were women, one was a child and three were below the age of 20. As many as 11 men drowned last month. Now, with monsoon having officially arrived in the district, officials are expecting challenging days ahead.
According to disaster management experts, lack of public awareness regarding climatic conditions is the major reason behind many of these mishaps.
“Despite conveying sufficient information on water safety, the lack of willingness to learn about safety measures remains a hindrance. In many cases, individuals drown in small ponds, canals and backwaters. In a recent case, where a child drowned to death, proper monitoring by a relative could have averted the incident,” said Sathyakumar C J, Hazard Analyst, Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA).
KSDMA has organised state-wide campaigns in the last few months to generate public consciousness on the issue, in addition to social media activities. “Our social media campaign focused on areas like Kuttanad, where people live near water bodies. The campaign had detailed information on portable life-saving equipment available in the market, instructions on how to use first-aid and give CPR, and ways to rescue a drowning individual, based on international standards,” added Sathyakumar.
Besides, the department is on a mission to introduce professional swimming among public with the help of experts. “We are planning to approach professional swimming instructors across the state to train children in the following months.
A list of trainers, based on their credentials, will be made in this regard,” said Sathyakumar
Saji Valasseril, an experienced swimming instructor who teaches more than 200 individuals per batch, echoes a similar opinion. “I have been training individuals, especially children, since 2010. I started it out of concern regarding the growing number of deaths due to drowning. Though I am particular about parents’ presence with children, many aren’t willing to come,” he said.
Recently, 712 children and 309 grown-ups completed their training with Saji. In the last decade, Saji has trained 2,970 individuals, out of which, 736 have swum across Periyar river.
