In the last three years, over 300 people have drowned in Uganda due to alcohol intoxication, to cool down due to hot temperatures, peer influence, trying to rescue drowning cattle and curiosity among other reasons according to statistics at the police Directorate of Fire and Emergency Response reports the Daily Monitor.
“People in the cattle corridors drown because they usually experience hot temperatures during the dry season. This forces them to try swimming purposely to cool bodies,” Mr Joseph Mugisa, the directorate’s commander said on Tuesday.
Kampala Metropolitan area that covers Uganda’s capital city Kampala, Entebbe among other areas has the highest numbers of people drowning from alcohol intoxication and floods that usually hit most of the suburbs during heavy down pour.
“Most of the drowning incidents in Kampala Metropolitan are due to alcohol. The victim drowned when they tried swimming under the influence of alcohol. Others go swimming because of band wagon. They want to show they know and end up being washed away by waves,” said Mugisa
At least 50 people have so far downed since the start of this year in beaches, rivers and lakes.
Some people drown from accidents, like the most tragic incident where 150 nationals of the Democratic Republic of Congo drowned in Lake Albert in 2013. At least 60 were rescued but 90 passengers lost their lives. In July this year, four students drowned during a beach party and recently, on Monday, five members of a family drowned after their locally made boat capsized.
