Five drownings over long weekend

By Norman Palihawadane

Five deaths due to drowning had been reported within the last 48 hours that ended at 08.00 am yesterday from various parts of the country, police said.A 21-year-old woman went missing while bathing in the Attanagalu Oya in Nittambuwa on Saturday evening. Relatives of the victim have told the police that she went to bathe in the Attanagalu Oya with her family members while visiting a relative in Nittambuwa. A search operation had been launched to find the missing woman, who is believed to have drowned, police said.

A 42-year-old resident of Negombo died while bathing in the Deduru Oya in Chilaw on Sunday evening. The man was reported missing while bathing with a group of friends who were on a trip to Chilaw. His body was found in a search operation conducted by the police and the Navy.

Two other individuals drowned while bathing in the Ethalaya Sea in Alankuda, Norochcholai, on Sunday evening. The two men, aged 21 and 66 years, were part of a group on a trip to the area. Their bodies were found and kept at the mortuary of the Puttalam Hospital for the post mortem, police said.

A 29-year-old male had drowned while bathing at the Pasikuda beach in Kalkudah, Batticaloa, on Sunday, police said. The victim too had been a member of a group on a leisure trip.

He had been swimming beyond the safety area demarcated for bathing in the sea. The body of the deceased was taken to the Valachchenai Hospital for the post mortem.