10 Situations When Water Can Be Dangerous
Ten Situations When Water Can Be Dangerous
Well water is an important and a requirement for life and without which life would not exist. But have you ever thought if water could be dangerous? Here are ten sitations where water can be fatal to life that depends on it.
10. DRINKING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER
Well, this is interesting as it advised taking plenty of water during the day however never overdo this it can be very fatal. Consumption of water in excessive amounts can lead to a condition known as hyponatremia. Levels of sodium in the blood lower leading to electrolyte imbalance in the body. Drop in levels of sodium in the body fluids causes water to move into the cells to balance the level of pressure causing the cells to swell. Most body cells can handle the pressure. However, the brain cells cannot because of the confinement by the bones of the skull. This can lead to headache, confusion, nausea, vomiting and fluid filled lungs and can be fatal to life if not treated early enough.
9. THE BRAIN EATING AMOEBA
The scientific name for this bacterium is Naegleria flowering and it inhabits warm, fresh water bodies including rivers, lakes and hot springs. It can also be found near warm water discharged from industrial operations and in untreated municipal water, swimming pools and spas but not in saline water. These bacteria can pass through the nose and invade the human nervous system and the brain. While in the brain these bacteria normally feed on the brain cell. Infections by this bacterium are not common in occurrence but when they do the condition can be fatal and almost always culminate in death of the patient. The death rate is for the condition is more than 95%.
8. HYPOTHERMIA
Hypothermia is a condition in which the body temperature falls below the normal or optimum (i.e. below 350C) body temperature that is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Water can cause hypothermia by transferring your body heat. The condition will occur when the body loses more heat than it can generate to cater for the heat lost through water. Mild hyperthermia is characterized by confusion and shivering while in severe hypothermia there is increased chances of major organs including the heart and respiratory system failing, unconsciousness and eventually leading to death.
7. SCALDING
Scalding is a type of burning that result from exposure to heated fluids such as steam and boiling water. If you are not cautious when handling hot water, you might end up getting a scald. At home scalding normally result from exposure to boiling water such hot bath, tap and shower waters as well as boiling water prepared for cooking purpose. Be careful with hot spring water, underestimating the temperatures of hot springs may lead to scalds of up to third-degree burns. Scalds from steam are the more fatal because steam contains a high amount of heat energy.
6. AVALANCHE
Avalanche is snow – frozen water that is rapidly moving down a slope mainly due to gravity. Once the avalanche initiates it moves very fast enlarging in both mass and volume as it gathers more snow and covers a wider area. Large avalanches can carry with them various materials including rocks, trees and ice and may cause ice falls all moving at high speed. Avalanches are among the deadliest natural disasters and can cause great loss of property and lives.
5. TSUNAMI
These are water waves that result from displacement of great volume of water from large water bodies like sea, lake or ocean. These waves have a longer wavelength, and they appear like rapidly rising tide. The impact of these waves is limited to the coastal areas but the magnitude of the damage they can cause is large affecting a whole ocean basin. In 2004, the tsunami in the Indian Ocean claimed over 200,000 lives in some countries bordering the Indian Ocean making the largest natural disaster in human the history.
4. SLIPPERY ROADS
We all are aware or witnessed how slippery the roads can be during rain or snow. Water on the road surface reduces the friction between wheels of a vehicle and the road surface. This makes braking of inefficient by increasing the braking distance and this has resulted in many accidents and deaths globally. This is the case even in roads with no tarmac where water causes the surface of the road to loosen becoming slippery and making it difficult to control the car efficiently.
3. AQUATIC ANIMALS
We all know of the Dangerous water animals that can injure and destroy human life easily. The shark found in the deep seas and oceans with its large body and strong teeth is capable of tearing and killing humans. Some have very toxic venom that can kill a man: The box jellyfish lacks teeth, but possesses a venomous sting than is known to cause death. The crocodile can strike with the tail breaking a bone if not several and capable of drowning an individual before preying on them.
2. DROWNING
Staying long in or under water can lead to deprivation of air to the body leading to death. Drowning occurs quickly and silently and a drowning person is not able to shout and call for help because they are unable to get sufficient air. Drowning is the most common death caused by water when an individual inhales water. Drowning is among the causes of deaths in young children aged below twelve years. Drowning can occur in baths, toilets, swimming pools and buckets for children and even in puddles for individuals under the influence of death.
1. FLESH EATING BACTERIA
The scientific name is Vibrio vulnificus and these bacteria inhabit marine waters in coastal areas, estuaries and brackish water. The bacteria can gain access through open wounds when swimming in infected water. It is also possible to enter the body through puncture wounds caused by sting rays or spines of fish. In severe conditions there is septic shock, blistering skin lesions and death can even occur.
