2 March, Vitebsk /Olga Bogacheva - BELTA/. Five fishermen have been rescued from water bodies in the Vitebsk region since the beginning of the year, the Vitebsk regional organisation of the Belarusian Republican Society for Rescue of People on Water (OSVOD) informed a BELTA correspondent. "All those rescued were amateur winter anglers who, due to their own carelessness and disregard for water safety rules, almost lost their lives," specialists emphasised. Eight people have fallen victim to drowning since the beginning of the year. The most high-profile incident occurred in the Braslav district, where in early January two fishermen died on Lake Zabornoye near the village of Boruny after falling through the ice. A third person was rescued by eyewitnesses. "It is noteworthy that all fatal incidents on the water were recorded in the first month of the year. February in the region was completely calm due to frosts," OSVOD added. The weather in the Vitebsk region will retain its winter character during the first half of March, the Vitebsk Regional Centre for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring reported. Daytime air temperatures next week will fluctuate around zero, while nighttime temperatures will drop to minus 5-10 degrees Celsius, and down to minus 15 degrees Celsius in clear spells. Residents of the northernmost region of Belarus will only be able to feel the breath of spring in the second half of the month, which will see the beginning of the destruction of the ice cover on water bodies. "However, caution should be exercised when going out on the ice even now," specialists stressed. -0-

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