On average, one person has drowned every week at an Australian beach for the last 5 years and on average 10 people are rescued every day. Tourists and those who are unfamiliar with the beach are at a greater risk of drowning.
Luckily not every incident results in a fatality, however those who survive a drowning incident often suffer from a range of lifelong health issues.
Statistics for 2016 show that 83% of drowning deaths were males. New South Wales recorded the highest number of incidents, followed by Queensland, Victoria then Western Australia.
Discuss these questions with your teacher and share you comments below:
- Do you like going to the beach? Why / Why not?
- What activities can people enjoy at the beach?
- What kind of dangers are there at Australian beaches?
- What are the causes of drowning?
- How do you keep safe at the beach?
- Have you had a scary incident in the water?
