The 5-year-old boy with the initials KAGG, drowned after being dragged by the strong currents of the Santa Rosa River, in Jalapa, Nueva Segovia. The little boy becomes one more victim of the heavy rains that have hit the country, since as a result of the rainfall the rivers swell and make mobility between communities difficult.
According to local media, the event occurred on the night of June 13 when the minor was traveling with his parents Henry González Martínez and María Elsa Gutiérrez on a motorcycle, from the El Escambray community to El Pataste.
They detailed that the family, upon reaching the Las Brisas area, tried to cross the river on a bridge-type ramp, however they were dragged by the flow and tragically, the little boy was let go and fell into the water.
Related news: Rains in Nicaragua have generated floods in 148 municipalities
The body was recovered hours later, about two kilometers downstream in the community of Santa Rosa. The Ministry of Health (Minsa) informed his parents that the cause of death was drowning due to submersion.
Currently, the river that connects the Santa Rosa and Las Brisas communities is swollen due to the constant rains that have hit the country, which makes it difficult to move between the surrounding areas and puts the lives of citizens at risk. Many take a risk and do not wait for the currents to subside.
After the death of the little boy, the residents of the area demanded that the Government of Daniel Ortega build a bridge over the river, to prevent the strong currents in winter from claiming the lives of more people.
“It’s sad. But that’s how many of us move. I ride a motorcycle with my son out of necessity, not to hurt anyone. And many times we get caught by storms along the way. Anyway, we have to continue to get to the house. One cannot stay in the middle of the road waiting for the rain to pass,” lamented Martha Vargas, an inhabitant of the area.
The latest rains in Nicaragua have left at least 148 municipalities affected by floods, three people killed by lightning strikes and around ten people killed by submersion, after being dragged by the strong currents of the rivers.
