Alert for several drownings in Santiago de Cuba

Authorities in Santiago de Cuba warned this Friday of an increase in drownings of children and adolescents in the province, due to lack of risk perception, carelessness and negligence of family members.

According to the head of Operations and Relief / Aquatic Safety of the Red Cross branch in Santiago de Cuba, Aris Arias Batalla, in July several incidents occurred in that territory, many of them resolved by the quick action of Lifeguards, but others that ended in the death of the affected person, the newspaper cited Sierra Maestra.

Most of the cases that ended in tragedy were drownings due to submersion, he said.

Although it does not specify the number of drownings since the beginning of summer, it warns that at this time there is a notable increase in bathers in certified beaches, pools and rivers and with the presence of lifeguards, but in rural areas the use of pools and ravines constitutes a real danger.

"We regret the loss of human lives, mainly among children and adolescents; these accidents have been due to lack of risk perception, carelessness and negligence of family members and companions," he commented.

He said that "the highest incidence of deaths has been in rural locations, specifically in ponds or areas surrounding their homes or communities."

Arias Batalla called on families to take care of vulnerable groups, which included young people and adolescents: "We can have fun, enjoy and bathe, but with safety, caution, danger lies in trust, life is priceless and can lose in seconds," he stressed.

He clarified that the areas where the deaths have occurred are not certified as bathing areas, therefore there are no lifeguard personnel and the safety of people depends on the responsibility of the bathers.

He added that in the beach areas and other areas certified for bathers there are lifeguards, who are often ignored by vacationers who commit indiscipline. He explains that on tours to beaches, swimming pools and rivers it has been observed that "vacationers start talking, drinking alcohol, playing and having fun and the children are alone on the sand, shore and even in the water. After these carelessness in seconds, accidents, drownings and fatal events come."

The lifeguards "watch over the lives of hundreds of people, in most cases they do not even have all the resources, and despite their talks, warnings and calls for attention, bathers do not respect their instructions and prohibitions," he said.

The official warned that adolescents and young people are also a vulnerable group that needs monitoring.

"Sometimes they move away from the shore in truck chambers used as rafts, some without knowing how to swim, and that is where the danger comes, or they start to “play handball” sometimes even drunk, and it is also a risk," he detailed.

Two days ago Arias Batalla reported that two Cuban teenagers, Yuleidis Sánchez Escalante, 13 years old, and Claudia Escalante Carmenate, 16, drowned in a pool in the river known as El Saltadero, in the municipality of Palma Soriano.

Also in April it reported that three young people died in several accidents that occurred on the beaches from Santiago de Cuba.

The alert arises when August begins, the month with the greatest influx of bathers to the country's beaches and rivers.