A 12-year-old girl has died after falling into an uncovered water well in Rumbek East County, South Sudan’s Lakes State, local authorities reported on Friday.
The incident occurred while the child was collecting firewood with other children in a nearby forest, according to Acting Police Commissioner Enock Majok Machar.
He told Radio Tamazuj on Saturday that the girl had stopped to drink from the disused well, which still held stagnant water, when she slipped and drowned.
Rescuers retrieved her body and transported her to Thon-aduel Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The acting police commissioner described the well as a long-standing hazard, warning it posed risks to both humans and livestock.
“Such tragedies can be prevented if communities secure unsafe water sources,” he said. “Parents and leaders must prioritize children’s safety by avoiding sending young ones to remote areas alone.”
He urged local chiefs to address abandoned wells and called for safer alternatives to prevent future incidents.