Russian drowning epidemic; how bad is it really?

Some things you read you just don't believe. But apparently it's true; when it gets hot in Russian, Russians drink a lot, jump in the nearest body of water, and drown, in numbers much higher than seems likely or reasonable.

Hundreds drown during Russian heatwave


Now, the article says that 285 people drowned in a week, 63 in a day. Poking around, I found statistics for the U.S. that said about nine people drown every day. That'd be 3,285 yearly. The annual Russian rate is estimated (from the article) at over 3,000 annually, too.

Extrapolating unjustifiably, I get 285 x 52 = 14,820 Russian drownings at that weekly rate, or 63 x 365 = 22,995 at that daily rate -- well, these are thankfully heatwave rates, not what happens every week. Still, it sure sounds like a lot.

Another article says that for the U.S., 2/3 of drownings occur in the summer months. So that'd be 2,190 in three months, or 730 in a month, 183 in a week. Thus, the Russian heatwave drowning rate is significantly higher than the U.S. summer drowning rate, but not by as much as I was thinking. It's appalling how many drownings there are in the U.S.; I'd call for more swimming lessons and better-paid lifeguards, but that's a pipe dream. And a lot of these drownings are the classic tragic toddler wanders into the pool area unattended, falls in, and gets found when it's too late. Lessons and lifeguards won't help, but teaching them drownproofing as soon as they can learn to jellyfish float might.

emedicine health: Drowning


Another reason to pay lifeguards better,

they can't seem to afford a shirt that fits.