At least 72 people have drowned so far this month, Philippine police said on Monday, an unusually high number because millions of people splashed on beaches during Holy Week. Agence France-Presse reported that Holy Week is a traditional holiday in this Catholic country, and millions of people will leave the capital Manila to return home for the festival.
Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesman Jean Fajardo said the high number of drownings was partly due to “revenge excursions” in the wake of the pandemic.
“The people were too excited and went to the beaches and attractions,” Fajdou told AFP.
Authorities have yet to analyze the patterns of the drowning, but Fajdou said the victims ranged from children swimming unsupervised to people who ran to the beach drunk.
She said the death toll was “unusual” and higher than in previous years.
“Attractions and beaches are packed, leading to an increase in drownings.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), drowning is the third highest accidental casualty in the world, with an estimated 236,000 people drowning each year.
