Police Warn: River Currents and Muddy Bottoms Can Be Fatal
The Koprivnica-Križevci Police Department urges citizens to follow basic safety rules while in the water, especially at unregulated bathing areas.
The Koprivnica-Križevci Police Department urges citizens to follow basic safety rules while in the water, especially at unregulated bathing areas.
As yet another heatwave scorches Croatia, the Koprivnica-Križevci Police Department issued a stark warning on Thursday, August 6, 2026, to all those seeking relief from the unbearable heat by rivers, lakes, and other bathing spots-refreshment can quickly turn dangerous if basic safety rules are ignored.
Carelessness, overestimating one's abilities, and ignoring safety rules are the most common causes of water accidents, the police point out, with special emphasis on unregulated bathing areas-places lacking organized supervision and rapid assistance. "River currents, sudden depth changes, muddy bottoms, and underwater obstacles are often invisible and can pose a serious threat to swimmers," the Koprivnica-Križevci Police Department told ePodravina.
To ensure that summer days by the water remain fond memories and tragedies are avoided, the police have issued a series of concrete recommendations. Citizens are advised to swim exclusively at regulated bathing areas with lifeguard services, to avoid entering the water under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and to refrain from diving in unfamiliar or prohibited spots. Swimming alone and overestimating one's swimming skills further increase the risk, the police warn.
After prolonged sun exposure, one should enter the water gradually, allowing the body to adapt to the sudden temperature change. Parents and accompanying adults are especially reminded: children must be under constant supervision at all times while in or near the water.
The Koprivnica-Križevci Police Department continues its preventive project "Safe on the Water," which, through radio broadcasts, direct engagement of police officers at bathing sites and along river and lake shores, and distribution of informational brochures, consistently promotes responsible behavior. Lake Šoderica, which was again a favorite destination for many locals seeking refreshment this Thursday, is a site where such activities are regularly carried out-precisely where the danger of invisible underwater obstacles is easiest to forget.
