It has been a week since the incident, yet the family of Lầu A Tủa in Huổi Lích 1 village, Nậm Kè commune, has yet to recover from the loss of their 8-year-old son.

On the morning of July 4, his son, Lầu A Anh, along with two other children, went rafting across a stream. However, rising water levels and a strong current caused the rope securing the raft to snap. While the two older children managed to swim ashore, Lầu A Anh was swept away.

According to Nguyễn Tiến Thành, Chairman of the Nậm Kè commune People’s Committee, around 100 individuals, including police, soldiers, militia, and villagers, were mobilized and divided into five search groups. Due to heavy rainfall and swollen streams, it took over three days before the child’s body was found approximately 15 kilometers from where the incident occurred.

Just days later, on July 7 in Kệt village, Tuần Giáo commune, Quàng Văn Việt (born 2018) went missing while herding buffalo with his mother. After nearly a full day of searching, he was found dead in a pond not far from the village.

Drowning remains one of the leading causes of child death nationwide, and Điện Biên is no exception. According to the provincial Department of Health, from 2021 to 2024, 365 children in the province died from unintentional injuries, with 116 of those deaths caused by drowning. Notably, 110 of these children were under the age of nine.

Analysis reveals that most drowning incidents occur in public areas such as rivers, streams, ponds, and lakes. Between 2021 and 2024, 154 out of 162 recorded drowning accidents took place in such public spaces.

Điện Biên’s mountainous terrain, with its abundance of rivers, streams, and waterfalls, creates a high risk for child injuries, particularly drowning. During the summer break, children are drawn to outdoor play and water activities, increasing the likelihood of such incidents.

In most cases, the lack of effective safety measures and supervision at these sites is compounded by adult negligence and insufficient child supervision. Many children are not equipped with basic swimming skills or the knowledge to respond in water-related emergencies.

To address this, local authorities have worked to promote drowning prevention education and swimming lessons. From 2020 to 2024, nearly 70 awareness campaigns were conducted, over 400 swimming classes were held, and more than 5,200 children participated. More swimming pools have also been built in recent years.

Despite these efforts, most interventions primarily reach children in urban and semi-urban areas. For children in remote and rural regions, swimming is often learned on their own, with no adult supervision. The average of 30 child drowning deaths per year in the province remains a concerning statistic.

To improve drowning prevention, it is crucial that families and parents take greater responsibility in monitoring and guiding their children. Local governments and schools must enhance their collaboration to raise awareness, teach essential safety skills, and issue timely alerts about dangerous locations. Furthermore, communities need to offer more safe, engaging recreational activities for children during the summer.