Colombo (News 1st); Three people died of drowning in a 24-hour period and two others remain missing.

Two young men aged 18 and 23 drowned while having a sea bath at the Perutota Shrimp Farm in Kochchikade on Sunday (23) evening.

In a separate incident, the body of one of two young men reported missing in the seas off Mount Lavinia was discovered washed ashore in Dehiwala.

Operations are underway to locate other missing youth.

Both are from Pudalu-Oya in Nuwara Eliya.

Further a 42-year-old remains missing after he was carried away by strong currents in the Kelani River in Kithulgala.

Drowning is considered as the second highest cause of accidental deaths in Sri Lanka after road accidents.

According to the latest reports by Sri Lanka Life Saving lack of water safety understanding, negligence and ignorance, consumption of alcohol and lack of using safety equipment have been identified as the main reasons for drowning.

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