A 27-year-old man identified as Alex Sitepe has died suddenly after drowning in Namiyasa River in Machinga.

Public Relations Officer for Machinga Police Station Davie Sulumba said the incident happened on February 4, 2018.

Sulumba said on the fateful day the deceased went to Chikweo Trading Centre but never reported home.

“According to the deceased’s brother William Sitepe of Chiganga Village in Traditional Authority Nkoola, the deceased left his home to buy relish but instead of buying relish he opted for beer drinking,” he told YFM online.

Sulumba said the deceased was last seen in the area by some villagers on February 9, 2018 while drinking beer.

He said the deceased body was recovered by children who went for fishing at the river.

“On February 14 in the morning, children from Lisanjala village went for fishing in Namiyasi River and they found the body of the deceased floating in a decomposed state,” he said.

Sulumba has therefore warned the public against crossing flooding rivers to avoid such incidences.