Putin urges action against drownings

The heat wave makes it tempting to take a dip

By Steve Rosenberg in Moscow

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered his government to take urgent action to reduce the number of people dying from drowning.

The order follows reports that 18 people died in Moscow on Saturday while swimming in lakes and rivers.

The city's ambulance services say that most of the victims were drunk.

The winters in Russia are so cold you always find yourself cursing the snow and ice and praying for a bit of sun.

But when the summer finally comes it is usually so hot - and so unbearably muggy - that you cannot help diving for the electric fan and having dreams about fur coats.

If you do not have air conditioning, you can always do what most Muscovites seem to do - go and cool off in your nearest river, pond or reservoir.

Dangerous swimming

Not that every river, pond or reservoir is suitable for the purpose - signs warning "Dangerous Area - No Bathing Here" are dotted across Moscow, but few people seem to take any notice.

There are fountains and pools dotted across Moscow

The lure of a refreshing dip is often greater than any thought of personal safety.

It would not be such a problem, though, if it was not for the drink.

Many Russians tend to consume a mountain of beer and vodka before diving in - a recipe for disaster.

Over 220 people have drowned in Moscow since the start of the summer. Most of the victims were drunk according to the ambulance services.

Under the influence

Under the influence of alcohol, many swimmers are simply unable to keep their heads above the water, others foolishly choose to dive onto rocks instead of the river.

Moscow's rescue services claim there is little they can do to stop that - years of under-funding have cut the number of lifeguard stations around the Russian capital from 600 to just 55.

With the best will in the world, they simply do not have enough eyes to monitor the waterways.

It does not help things having alcohol on sale down by many rivers and lakes.

Shocked by the death toll, President Putin has ordered the government to improve safety measures.

That could mean more lifeguards. But it does not address the key problem - persuading Russians to stay off the drink before diving in for a swim.