Save them from drowning

Local bodies should factor in these life-threatening incidents in their disaster preparedness.

Child drowning has become a common occurrence in Nepal’s Madhesh Province. We are only a few months into this fiscal year, and 49 people, 39 of them children, have needlessly lost their lives in ponds, fish ponds and rain-filled pits. These incidents, unfortunately, are likely to escalate this year as the number of deaths by drowning has steadily inched up in the past few years. The figure, which was 81 in FY 2022-23, rose to 124 in FY 2023-24. This necessitates immediate preventive measures from households and governments.