A six-year old child, Emmanuel Muhayimana drowned in Rumiya river stream and died yesterday in Gituntu cell, Gasharu sector, Karongi District.
Muhayimana, a primary one pupil at Gituntu primary school drowned and died while swimming with other children.
There have been several cases where, during heavy rains, children get washed away by floods; fall in water trenches, ponds and deep potholes.
All these temporary water bodies have contributed to children’s death by drowning.
According to reports, children who die from drowning fall in water while adult people are absent and those responsible to watch them are for many reasons incapable to rescue them resulting into death.
“It is parents and guardians responsibility to protect children from such demise. Children should not be left alone in such instances,” said Karongi District Police Command superintendent Gilbert Ruhorahoza.
Ruhorahoza added that in a space of two months, six people including one woman were victims of drowning in different river streams and Lake Kivu.
Parents and guardians are actively called upon to participate in educating children on the dangers temporary water bodies pose to their lives and always leave children under the watchful eye of minders.
Rwanda National Police (RNP) urges the public, especially parents not to leave children alone and ensure that ponds are covered up to avoid their being used as swimming pools.
Police also reminds people that these ponds cannot kill only children but also adults especially those under influence of alcohol.
It calls for all such temporary water bodies to be covered up without which they will always claim lives especially those of children.
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