2 Toddlers Died Due To Floods In Siak Riau

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

SIAK - Two children under five years old (toddlers) who were swept away by the river and ditches due to the high intensity of rain that caused flooding over the past two weeks in Siak Regency, Riau, were reported to have died.

Head of the Prevention and Preparedness Division (PK) of the Siak Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Muhamad Rasyid, explained that the ill-fated events that claimed the lives of the two toddlers occurred in Kotogasib and Sungai Apit sub-districts.

"Indeed, two tragedys have occurred, which killed a toddler. However, in Sungai Apit sub-district, it could be said that it was due to the negligence of parents," he said, quoted by Antara, Thursday, January 11.

The first case, he said, occurred on January 2, 2024, in Sengkemang Village, Koto Gasib District. A 4.5-year-old toddler was found dead after being swept away by the current while swimming in a ditch into a culvert.

Then, the second incident occurred on Tuesday (9/1) in Teluk Masjid Village, Sungai Apit District. Toddlers aged two years became victims of falling into a sickle near his house.

At that time the victim's mother was carrying out routine activities in managing the household at her home. The mother did not see her child inside the house and immediately searched around the yard where there were also bridges and ditches with a depth of 1.5 meters and a width of 3 meters.

After approaching the bridge, the victim's mother saw and found her son's sandals on the bridge.

Then the victim's mother asked local residents for help because it was suspected that her child had fallen into a ditch under a bridge with a high water discharge due to heavy rain.

Seeing the incident, local residents together immediately searched for the victim.

During an hour the search for victims was found in a ditch approximately 500 meters from the ditch in front of the victim's house to the Siak River in Mesjid Bay.

When it was found, there was still a pulse and it was immediately taken to the Sungai Apit Community Health Center.

After an examination and treatment, finally the victim's medical team was not saved and was declared dead.