Unfortunately, these exotic locations also have the distinction of being the number one site in Iran for death by drowning.
The picturesque natural landscapes of these coastal cities enjoying a unique geographical position, pleasant environmental conditions and moderate climate, draw millions of tourists annually and are consequently of great importance to the economy of the region.
Mazandaran Province, located on the southern coast of the Caspian Sea is geographically divided into two parts: coastal plains and mountainous areas. The Alborz Mountain Range surrounds this coastal strip forming a huge barrier.
Over the past five years, as many as 913 people, both local residents and tourists, have lost their lives in the Caspian Sea.
Happy and relaxing times suddenly turn into the bitter, tragic experience of drowning and many of the inhabitants of these regions are haunted by memories of these dreadful events.
Local residents and tourists, male and female, brave the waters along these shores, but the majority of victims are most likely to be boys.
Let’s take a look -- what is drowning and when does it happen?
Drowning is death from suffocation (asphyxia) caused by a liquid entering the lungs and preventing the absorption of oxygen leading to cerebral hypoxia and myocardial infarction.
What are the risk factors leading to drowning?
According to experts, low levels of swimming and life saving skills, are major reasons behind the increase in the rate of drowning fatalities.
Many deaths by drowning can be linked to certain conditions including turbulent or fast water, deep water, rip currents, undertows, currents, waves, eddies, and floods.
In Iran, designated swimming areas located near coastal cities have lifeguards and a system for identifying and monitoring cases of drowning. However, bystanders play an important role in drowning detection and prevention - either by personal intervention or the notification of authorities by phone or alarm. No person should attempt a rescue that is beyond his or her ability or level of training.
How to help a person who is drowning?
If a swimmer gets into difficulties or starts to drown, bystanders should immediately call for help. A lifeguard should be found if possible. If not, emergency medical services and paramedics should be contacted immediately.
Personal intervention to help a swimmer in difficulty:
The first step in rescuing a person from drowning is to ensure your own safety. Then bring the victim's mouth and nose above the water surface. For further treatment it is advisable to remove the person from the water. People who are drowning may panic and thus hinder rescue efforts. Often, the victim will cling to the rescuer and try to pull himself out of the water submerging the rescuer in the process. To avoid this, it is recommended that the rescuer approach the panicking person with something buoyant, or from behind, twisting their arm over their back to restrict movement. If the rescuer feels that he is being pushed under water, he should dive downwards to escape.
People, who are drowning, rarely raise their hands out of the water nor do they call out for help because they lack the air to do so -- it is necessary to breathe in order to yell. Human physiology does not allow the body to waste any air when it is oxygen-starved. People who are drowning usually use the surface of the water to push themselves up in an attempt to get their mouths out of the water, however this action always has the effect of pushing their head down. Another common sign of drowning is the sight of a swimmer’s head being low in the water and occasionally bobbing up and down.
Statistics for drowning occurrences.
It is interesting but tragic to note that drowning is the second leading cause of death in children under the age of 14 in the United States. And in the Islamic Republic, more than 913 people have lost their lives by drowning over the past five years (from 2003 to 2008).
Official figures show that less than 5% of drowning cases occur in designated swimming areas; this means that 95% of them have taken place outside such precincts.
And, unfortunately, tourists – most likely male, aged between 10 and 40 -- account for over 70% of drownings.
Incidents of drowning usually occur in Iran over the weekends – Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.
How to prevent drowning
In many cases of death by drowning and related emergencies it is important to realize that the incidents could have been avoided by better safety precautions and supervision. Much positive action has been taken to reduce the drowning rate in the north of Iran -- a total of 26,935 persons have been rescued over the past five years by lifeguards -- but there is still much more that can be done to control the situation.
We should all pay more attention to safety devices, although without relying on them totally. There are about 300 designated swimming areas in Iran’s coastal regions where more than 600 lifeguards and over 3000 other rescue forces monitor and detect drownings.
Dos
The reduction of drowning through education and basic prevention is a necessity. First, let’s learn to swim; keep in mind that there is a great difference between swimming in pools and seawater. Special skills are needed to be able to swim in seawater, so don’t trust swimming techniques which have only been practiced in pools. Bear in mind just swimming in areas where there is adequate supervision – i.e. trained and certified lifeguards and reliable lifeboats with properly loaded and functional emergency equipment onboard.
Wearing a properly fitting lifejacket while enjoying water sports such as sailing, surfing or canoeing, paying attention to the weather, tides and water conditions - especially currents - are among other key factors in preventing drowning. Keep in mind that currents are always stronger than they appear.
And last, but not least, remember to bring a cordless telephone to the pool, so children are not left unsupervised while you answer a phone call.
Don’ts
Don’t forget to keep children under a watchful eye.
Don’t dive into water where the bottom cannot clearly be seen or the depth determined. Don’t swim alone, at night, or while under the influence of drugs.
Don’t use hyperventilation to extend a breath-hold dive.
And last, but not least, avoid playing water games that will put your own life or that of others’ at risk.
And for God’s sake, let’s be aware of our personal limits and not fall into the trap of priding ourselves on always being right.
SN/MA
MNA
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