Colombo, Sri Lanka, December 27, 2025 — A seemingly innocuous open toilet claimed the life of a young child in Sri Lanka, a stark reminder that drowning isn’t just an ocean hazard—it’s a hidden danger lurking in the most unexpected places.
Nearly 80 percent of drowning deaths in Sri Lanka occur in inland waterways, not at beaches.
- Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in Sri Lanka, after road accidents.
- Roughly three people die from drowning daily, compared to eight from road accidents.
- A program supported by Australian lifesavers is working to reverse this trend by teaching swimming and water safety.
- Cultural norms sometimes prevent girls from accessing lifesaving skills.
“A small child in the house in front of mine fell into an open toilet and died,” recalled Upul Rathgama, a resident of Sri Lanka’s crowded capital. “You can drown in two inches of water, not many people know this.”
Q: How common is drowning in Sri Lanka?
A: Drowning is the second-leading cause of accidental death in the country, surpassed only by road accidents. Nearly 80 percent of these tragedies happen in homes and other inland waterways like wells, lakes, and canals.
Drowning is a pervasive threat in Sri Lanka, claiming more lives than many realize. On average, officials estimate around eight people die each day on Sri Lankan roads, while roughly three succumb to drowning. But a modest, yet impactful, initiative—supported by Australian lifesavers—is beginning to shift those grim statistics.
Drowning is the second-biggest cause of accidental deaths in Sri Lanka.
The effort began in the wake of the devastating 2004 Boxing Day tsunami. Mevan Jayawardena, general manager of Life Saving Victoria and a Sri Lankan native, started teaching locals how to swim in the disaster’s aftermath. The magnitude-9.1 earthquake off the coast of Indonesia unleashed waves that traveled at jet speed toward Asian shores.
In Sri Lanka alone, more than 30,000 people perished. “When the tsunami hit, it wasn’t just the first wave that did the most damage—it was the second,” Jayawardena explained. “I found trains and cars in trees. Morgues couldn’t handle the number of bodies. I remember thinking: I can’t leave. This is why drowning prevention matters.” He remained in Sri Lanka for months, assisting with rescue and cleanup.
More young people across Sri Lanka are being trained as lifeguards.
Recognizing that teaching children to swim could be as vital as emergency response, Jayawardena began offering lessons. With support from Surf Life Saving Australia, Sri Lanka Life Saving has undergone a revitalization, expanding training for lifeguards and swimming instructors. This initiative has spread across the country, reaching communities hardest hit by the tsunami.
A Grassroots Effort
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Volunteers now provide free swimming lessons for children after school in many areas. “It’s nice to give back to the community,” said Kumar Dewapriya, a volunteer surf lifesaver, “even in a small, simple way.” Under the shade of mangrove trees in Bentota, south of the capital, girls and boys learn to float, gripping foam noodles for support, progressing to kicking drills and freestyle strokes.
More than 20 years after the Boxing Day tsunami, these Sri Lankan girls are overcoming fears to learn to swim.
For 12-year-old Manuthi, the classes have transformed her perception of water, making her feel “stronger” and “not so scared anymore.” Nethya, another young student, agreed, stating, “I like being able to swim. It gives me confidence in life—in whatever I do.”
Drowning Toll Coming Down
Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Act facilitates data collection from police, hospitals, and local officials to identify high-risk drowning zones and launch public awareness campaigns. Government and police figures show annual fatalities have decreased from over 850 in 2014 to 610 last year. Asanka Nanayakkara, CEO of Sri Lanka Life Saving, attributes this decline, in part, to the Australian-led training of lifesavers and swimming instructors.
However, communicating the risks remains a challenge. “Many people go into water without understanding the danger,” Rathgama noted, adding that victims aren’t always non-swimmers. Tourists and visitors unfamiliar with local conditions are often caught in rips and strong currents. “You often see not just one person drown, but a group of friends or an entire family,” he said, explaining that panic can quickly escalate when someone enters dangerous waters, leading others to attempt rescues without proper training.
Challenging Norms
Soraya Abeysuriya, a primary school teacher and newly trained lifeguard, believes lifesaving skills should be a mandatory part of the school curriculum. She emphasizes that water safety is a basic survival skill. But she also acknowledges societal barriers.
“Many parents do not allow their daughters to play outside, keeping them indoors, there are a lot of patriarchal and cultural barriers,” Abeysuriya explained.
Despite these challenges, she finds the response from students overwhelmingly positive. For many girls, these lessons represent their first opportunity to participate in outdoor activities and learn water safety.
CPR training is part of swimming lessons.
Paying it Forward
Upul Susantha, a surf lifesaver for nearly a decade, expressed pride in seeing his former students become instructors themselves. Some now guard beaches at local hotels, while others have found work overseas, including in the Maldives. “I love teaching others,” he said. “This is my purpose in life.”
Senior surf lifesavers are teaching the next generation.
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