KURNOOL: As many as 104 people have drowned in rivers, canals and ponds from 2017 to 2021 in the erstwhile Kurnool district, according to official data. In the same period, 957 people were rescued from drowning by police, disaster management staff and people at the scene, and 194 SOS calls were received. Recently, two youngsters of Kurnool, aged 16 years, went missing. They are feared drowned in a summer storage water tank on the city outskirts.
A few days ago, a boy drowned in a pond near Byrapuram in Orvakal Mandal. Villagers of Byrapuram alleged that no safety measures at the pond were the reason for the youth’s death.“There are no safety measures in place around the deepwater pit, which was created after digging for mining. This lets youngsters to go there for swimming,” Somanna, a victim’s relative, said.
District fire and disaster management officer (DFO) N Avinash Jayasimha said they were regularly conducting water rescue drills at various places to create awareness among people.“The department has deployed special trainers and swimmers to organise regular drives and theory and practical swimming classes in the pond near Gargeyapuram village,” the DFO said.