Rules for safe behavior on water bodies during the summer period

Summer is a wonderful time that everyone, without exception, both children and adults, loves and looks forward to. It is a marvelous time of sunny and warm days, when you can enjoy spending time with friends, read your favorite books, travel, do what you love, and also have fun and actively relax by the water.

A hot summer day combined with cool water creates an excellent opportunity for swimming, underwater sports, various water games and competitions, boating and other watercraft, fishing, and family and corporate recreation on the water surface.

However, it is important to remember that summer recreation on the water can lead

to sad consequences and turn into a tragedy.

According to operational information from ОСВОД, a large number of people drown in water bodies in Belarus annually:

2009 – 838 people, including 74 children,

2010 – 1313 people, including 82 children,

2011 – 730 people, including 42 children,

2012 – 705 people, including 51 children,

2013 – 571 people, including 34 children,

2014 – 625 people, including 36 children,

2015 – 431 people, including 31 children,

2016 – 376 people, including 26 children,

2017 – 374 people, including 25 children,

2018 – 374 people, including 30 children,

2019 – 364 people, including 24 children,

2020 – 380 people, including 20 children,

2021 – 486 people, including 43 children,

2022 – 390 people, including 26 children;

2023 – 367 people, including 21 children;

2024 – 361 people, including 22 children.

As of May 26, 2025, 96 people have died as a result of water entering the upper respiratory tract (asphyxiation), including

5 minors. 67 people were rescued, including 7 children.