There’s nothing more harmless than building a sandcastle on the beach. However, according to an article recently published in Talkcan be fatal. The problem, of course, is not the castle. The problematic part is the hole that is dug to collect the sand. If the mountain collapses, it can fall on a person, burying him completely underground. strangle her in minutes. Risk of execution holes in the beach It is especially high for children, since their bodies are smaller and more difficult to pull out from under the sand.
This may all seem like an exaggeration. However, according to a 2007 study, the number of people who die each year from beach digging exceeds the number of people who die each year from beach digging. swimmers killed by sharks.
To avoid this risky situation in the summer, it is important that small children don’t play alone in the sand. You should also pay attention to the amount of sand removed and that the holes are not deeper than the height of your knees. If this happens, the consequences can be fatal.
More deaths from beach holes than from sharks
In a 2007 study, data USA, Australia, New Zealand and UK. The largest number of deaths from beach digging is recorded in the United States. In the North American country, a total of 20 children and young people died from this cause between 1985 and 2007. In other countries, this figure was much lower – 8 people.
If we narrow the years even further and look at the period between 1990 and 2006, then in the United States there are 16 deathsDuring the same period, the number of deaths from shark attacks was total 12. So despite the media’s fear of sharks every summer, it’s far more dangerous to leave a child alone to dig holes on the beach. In fact, the number of sand deaths may be even higher, as they are less studied and recorded than shark deaths.
Those who died at that time due to sand ranged in age from 3 to 21 years old, with an average of 12 years old. Most of them were children.
Why is this so dangerous?
When dry sand is removed along the holes in the beach, the pile remains stable until its slope reaches 33 degrees. At this point, it can quickly fall apart. If the sand is wet, it may take a little longer, but once it dries will fall quickly.
During avalanches, rock materials are often left behind airbags which contribute to greater survival of the victims. However, dry sand falls in clumps, so It’s impossible to breathe under it.
That same year, in February, a 7-year-old girl died on a Florida beach for this reason. He was playing with his younger brother, digging holes on the beach. The sand was dry and fell on them, burying them immediately. It took rescuers just a few minutes to pull the two children out. The baby had to be hospitalized, but he managed to recover. However, the girl had already died when they got to her. It was impossible to revive her.
Obviously, do it little sand castle It is not dangerous. But it is true that there are children who like to dig big holes on the beach and build much more grandiose structures. The result may be beautiful, but an accident if the sand mountain turns over can lead to death. Do not leave children alone and do not let them dig too much.
Source: Hiper Textual
