A report by the Water Safety Council of Fiji reveals that 47 drowning cases were recorded last year- 77% of which occurred during the cyclone season.

Of the forty-seven deaths, more than half of the fatalities were under 25 years old and twenty-three percent were toddlers.

80% of school students drowned in rivers, 66% of all drowning were victims from villages and rural areas and one third of the drowning occurred during school holidays.

Director for Water Safety Council Litiana Loabuka is advising people to be more vigilant at this time of the year and avoid risks.

‘’We want the villagers to consider that all the rivers, creeks and waterways currents will be stronger. What you cross at normal times, it will be stronger to walk across it during a cyclone so don’t just take the risk. Be safe!’’.

The western division recorded the highest statistics accounting for forty percent of all the drownings.

The North recorded twenty six percent; Central division twenty-three percent while the Eastern division recorded eleven percent.

Parents and guardians have also been advised to teach their children how to swim.