With the official arrival of summer, the Azuero region enters one of its most active seasons, marked by an increase in visits to beaches, rivers, and family outings to traditional orchards. These activities are deeply rooted in local culture and are favored by both residents and national and foreign tourists. However, authorities reiterated the call for caution, reminding that several drowning deaths were recorded in December. These incidents occurred mainly during initial visits to rivers for fishing and recreation. These risk situations remain latent due to ongoing rains in some sectors, which increase the water flow and danger of rivers and streams. In the province of Los Santos, one of the areas with the most beaches and extensive, highly visited coastlines, the National System for Civil Protection (Sinaproc) will only have a permanent presence at El Uverito beach, due to the limited availability of lifeguards to cover the other bathing spots. Iván Pérez, regional director of Sinaproc, confirmed that the institution's rescuers will remain only at this beach, located in Las Tablas. They will have the backing of other entities such as ambulances from the Ministry of Health, patrols from the National Police, and the National Aeronaval Service (Senan). However, he explained that the current operational capacity does not allow expanding coverage to other beaches in the region. Faced with this scenario, Pérez appealed to citizen awareness, especially among visitors and parents, to exercise extreme vigilance over children and the elderly, and recommended going preferably to areas that have Sinaproc or Senan supervision. The official also warned about specific beaches that are not suitable for bathers, such as some located on the coasts of Pedasí, where rough seas and strong waves pose a risk, being more suitable for water sports. In this sense, he advised against going to these sites with children for water recreational activities. As part of preventive actions, Sinaproc has been training personnel from other institutions in first aid maneuvers, choking assistance, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), considering that these officials are part of the operations and could provide support in emergency situations. Authorities reiterated that security devices will remain active throughout the summer season, with special emphasis on events with large attendance, such as the Thousand Polleras Festival, carnivals, Holy Week, and during weekends, particularly at El Uverito beach, where official surveillance will be concentrated.
