Limpopo police have warned people to be careful when crossing swollen rivers to avoid drowning as heavy rains continue to lash various parts of the country.

Limpopo police have warned people to be careful when crossing swollen rivers to avoid drowning as heavy rains continue to lash various parts of the country.

This came after two people drowned in the Mopani district following heavy rains that fell in the area on Monday.

In the first incident, a two-year-old girl fell into a septic tank full of water and drowned at Mariveni village near NkowaNkowa, outside Tzaneen.

The septic tank is said to have still been under construction at the girl's house.

Police spokesperson in the area, Warrant Officer Seth Magadzi, said the girl was playing outside the house alone when she tripped, fell into the septic tank and drowned.

Magadzi identified the dead girl as Mixo Chauke.

In the second incident, an elderly man drowned while attempting to cross a swollen river near Mogapeng village near Tzaneen, also on Monday.

Police said it appeared as if the man from Rhulani village was attempting to cross the raging river from Mogapeng to his home village of Maake when the incident happened.

Magadzi has warned parents to make sure that their children do not play near open tanks or swollen rivers during this rainy season.

Meanwhile, many rivers in various parts of Mopani district are overflowing after the heavy rains experienced during the Easter weekend.