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Ninth Drowning At Sacramento County Beach Has Fire Officials Urging Caution In Drought

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A weekend drowning at a popular park has many asking what can be done to stop the death toll from rising.

Video from witnesses shows a 19-year-old rushing into the water to save his nephew, but police say he didn't make it.

The drowning at Tiscornia Park, where the Sacramento and American rivers meet, is the ninth reported in that area this year.

Sacramento County leaders have taken notice of the death toll during the fourth year of California's drought, but say there are no plans to close the beach.

Cellphone video shows the moment Sacramento Fire rescuers pulled Jagjit Basra, 19, from the water.

Garry Bhullar was best friends with Basra and was at the river with him and other close friends and family on Sunday. He says Basra rushed to rescue his young nephew, which he did, but he became a victim himself.

"He's a very nice guy, like my brother," he said. "I give to my hand to pick up but he didn't catch my hand, he just gave me the child and he was gone."

While the county offers life jackets, Sacramento City Fire spokesman Roberto Padilla says not enough people use them.

"We don't know if it's a false sense of security—people think it's the drought, that the rivers are low, they're not as dangerous—it's quite the opposite," he said.

The county says it's discussing ways to address the issue.

When asked if the beach should close, Padilla was direct.

"You can't prevent everything, you cannot restrict everything from people; restriction doesn't necessarily mean safer," he said.

Bhullar is asking everyone to take notice.

"Be careful, and put your life jacket on please. Because I don't want it to happen with anyone else," he said.

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