The beaches are taken by storm with the hot weather. President Macky Sall described the “unacceptable” death of a dozen young people last weekend in Malika, on the outskirts of the capital.
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as reported from Dakar, Charlotte idrac
The head of state asks the government and communities to take “urgent action”. The Association of Lifeguards and Lifeguards has registered 36 deaths by drowning in less than a month. At a press conference on Wednesday, June 16, she demanded more resources to secure the beaches.
At the end of the afternoon at BCEAO beach in Yoff, an orange flag was hoisted at the first aid station. Awa has just risen from the water after a refreshing swim.
“Yes, she’s really good. I’m very careful, but nowadays we see a lot of ruthlessness. Especially in families. Children of 2, 3 or 4 years, we let them walk alone in the water, it is not normal. ”
In the Dakar region, access to the sea is officially banned on more than ten beaches. But there is no solution, according to Ibrahima Fall, president of the Association of Lifeguards and Lifeguards.
“Here in Dakar, recreational spaces are now privatized, so people are forced to fall back to the great coast where their big waves and baïnes are dangerous. [des courants puissants qui entraînent au large, NDLR]. But we can delimit bathing sites, send lifeguards, strengthen the system. ”
According to the association, about 80 lifeguards are deployed on the 26 authorized beaches in the region. For Cheikh Fall, one of them, the emphasis should be on prevention: “Often the victims are young people between the ages of 15 and 20. Now we have programs that allow us to go to schools to talk about the dangers of the sea. ”
Lifeguards, firefighters, local authorities: all require vigilance in connection with the summer holidays in August.
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