At least two people have been confirmed dead after drowning in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State on Sunday.
The acting director for civil defense, Lt. Col. James Joseph Abraham, told Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday that the two, a man and woman, drowned in two different rivers in Torit.
He said in one incident, a 27-year-old man only identified as Ojoro slipped into the Kineti River while bathing and drowned.
Abraham said another unidentified woman who was coming from the garden drowned in Ilangi River and her body was not recovered.
“This is a dangerous time because water levels are increasing in the rainy season. Five cases were registered in my presence,” he said.
The local official cautioned the population to desist from bathing inside the river to prevent a similar incident from occurring.
Justine Kleopus Takuru, the state police spokesperson also confirmed the incidents.
Meanwhile, Okwiliring Fredrick Oluteng, a resident, urged authorities to put in place laws banning people from bathing in rivers in the state.