Manama: Two children have drowned as they were playing near a swimming pool in Qatar, according to a newspaper report.

The four-year-old boy and two-year-old girl were found after a frantic search by their families who were sitting together, Al Sharq daily said. No further details were available.

The deaths prompted calls to ensure proper safety measures are in place to save lives, the Qatari newspaper said.

Several homes in Qatar have private swimming pools.