Kendrapara: Recurring cases of drowning, particularly of minor boys and girls, have emerged as a disturbing trend in the district.

The Kendrapara district, criss-crossed by rivers and water bodies, has accounted for 89 human deaths due to drowning in the past three years.

However, 40 per cent of them are minor boys and girls. Reports of toddlers getting drowned in ponds on the backyard of houses due to lack of parental vigil have also come to light, said an official.

The state government had on April 1, 2015, declared drowning as a state disaster. Ever since, an ex gratia compensation of Rs 4 lakh is being given to the next of kin of the deceased persons.

The announcement of compensation has helped come such cases to the notice of the government as more and more people are reporting to the local police and the emergency wing of the administration the loss of their near ones due to drowning.

Such cases used to go unreported earlier, said a district administration official.

More cases of drowning used to take place in the 1980s and 1990s due to boat capsize. But, boat tragedies have come down considerably over the years with the construction of many river bridges. Deaths due to boat capsize have now become few and far between.

Kendrapara district recorded 89 drowning cases in the past three years, while Balasore recorded 129, Bhadrak 118, Jajpur 103, Keonjhar 98, and Mayurbhanj 97 cases.

Mahakalpada block in Kendrapara district topped the drowning toll accounting for 31 deaths alone, followed by Aul (12), Kendrapara (9), Garadpur block (8), Marshaghai (7), Rajkanika (6), Rajnagar (6), Derabish (5) and Pattamundai (5).

The state had recorded 1,292 drowning cases between April 1, 2015, and April 1, 2018. Incidentally, no such case was reported from Boudh district. A study conducted by the special relief commissioner's office found that 61 per cent drowning cases took place in the state between July and November.