Epidemiology of Drowning and Near Drowning at Karachi Beaches from 2012 to 2014

Karachi Municipal Corporation's Emergency Response Center's lifeguards save drowning individuals, recover dead bodies of drowned individuals, and provide first aid care to injured victims of near-drowning and road traffic accidents on the road along the various beaches.Cumulatively302 drowning and near-drowning 302 incidents were recorded from 2012 to 2014, with 291 (96.3%) incidents involving males. One hundred ninety-six (64.9%) individuals were saved from drowning, out of which 116 (59.2%) were saved on Sundays, followed by 31 (15.8%) on Saturdays; with 79 (40.3%) being saved during the hours 06:00 PM to 07:59 PM. Out of total 34 dead bodies were recovered, Sundays registered 8 (23.5%) such incidents. Out of the 72 individuals who received first-aid care, 60 (83.3%) received it on Sundays and Saturdays. The months of April, May, and June were the peak months of incidents for saving from drowning. Results augur the need for targeted health education campaigns, especially during summer months.