Report: 18% increase in drowning deaths
The latest report from Iran’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) reveals an 18% increase in drowning deaths from March 20 to May 25, 2024, 159 individuals drowned, compared to the same period last year.
The report indicates a 28% rise in drowning incidents, with an average age of 23 among the victims. Men accounted for 76% of these cases. The youngest victim was a one-year-old child, and the oldest was an 80-year-old, both of whom died at the scene, IRNA wrote.
The provinces with the highest number of drowning incidents were Bushehr with 32 cases, Sistan and Baluchestan with 28, and Fars with 25.
Interestingly, the highest number of drowning deaths occurred in central provinces without coastal access, such as Fars, Isfahan, and Tehran. Coastal provinces like Mazandaran, Gilan, Bushehr, and Hormuzgan reported fewer cases.
The report identifies rivers (24%), the sea (16%), and both private and public swimming pools (16%) as the top locations for drowning incidents. Reservoirs and dams (6%), natural lakes (6%), and agricultural flumes (7%) also contributed to the drowning statistics.
In addition, the report highlights that 233 people were poisoned by consuming wild mushrooms during this period, with two fatalities in Tehran. Poisonings increased by 5% compared to the same period last year, with the highest incidents in Lorestan, Kurdestan, and Kermanshah.