Tragedy at River-Kueng: Two drown, one survives in Aweil South County
AWEIL — Two people have drowned and another survived after a tragic incident in River Kueng in Aweil South County, South Sudan’s Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, an official said.
The first incident occurred on Monday, 10 August 2026, when a 70-year-old man drowned while attempting to cross River-Kueng.
The second incident happened on Tuesday, 12 August, 2026, when a 12-year-old girl drowned while crossing the river with her siblings at Malek-Alek.
Simon Lual Buk, Director of Information at the State Ministry of Information, told this publication on Wednesday that one person was reportedly rescued following the incident.
He said the 12-year-old girl drowned in the river after she was unable to swim.
“In another incident on Tuesday at Malek-Alek, the county headquarters, a 12-year-old girl attempted to cross River-Kueng with her siblings and children of her aunt. However, she was unable to swim and drowned,” he said.
Lual also revealed that another similar incident involved a young girl who nearly drowned in the same river.
He said she was rushed to the hospital for treatment but remained unconscious and unresponsive to treatment.
“The other girl, who is now receiving care, is called Abuk. She was rescued, but whenever she is taken to the health facility, she becomes unconscious.
“When she is brought back to the riverbank, she regains consciousness. As a result, some people have developed superstitious beliefs, suggesting that magic may be connected to her drowning after she went deep into the water.”
He cautioned residents to exercise greater care when crossing rivers, particularly as water levels continue to rise during the rainy season and heavy downpours intensify.
Residents have expressed concern over safety along the river, particularly for people who rely on waterways for transportation, fishing, or crossing between communities.
Local authorities and community leaders are expected to boost efforts to establish and strengthen safety measures along the river to prevent similar incidents.