The death of six females in a swamp in Ramah last week, has an eerie resemblance to an incident in the same area 30 years ago when six young males drowned.

The family members of the six young males revealed this strange coincidence recently after hearing about last week’s tragedy.

Muhammad bin Hadi Al-Rasheed said he was shocked because of the similarity to the incident 30 years ago when his cousins died. “The Al-Ajaji family lost six girls, and we the Al-Rasheeds lost six young men aged between 10 and 18 in the same place,” he said.

The father of one of the deceased young men, Hadi bin Ahmad bin Matrah, who is 75 years old, described what happened: “Five young men, including two brothers, went out for a picnic 30 years ago near to Ramah. When they got close to a swamp formed by rainfall, one of the boys fell into it. When his brother tried to get him out he got caught and drowned as well. Then when the others came to help, they also drowned.”

The youngest of the brothers went back to inform the family, the father said.

Bin Matrah urged the authorities to fill up these areas to prevent further tragedy.

The six females from three families died last Saturday in the swamp in Al-Urmah area south of Ramah while out picnicking with their families. One father was taken to Ramah hospital after collapsing when he heard about the death of his daughter.

The Civil Defense said that when one of the females was pulled down by the water and drowned, the others drowned trying to help her.

The Civil Defense has recovered all the bodies and warned picnickers to stay away from flooded areas and swamps.