With the summer upon us and long weekends ahead, people are flocking to lakes, rivers, swimming pools and the ocean to cool off. The B.C. Interior is a popular vacation destination, which may account for why Shuswap and Okanagan Lakes are among the top three lakes in B.C. with the most drowning deaths.
“Water activities like swimming and boating can be a lot of fun and a great way to cool down, but drowning is a danger we all need to think about," says Mike Adams, team lead with Interior Health's Healthy Communities team.
“Drownings peak in the summer months, and can happen quickly and quietly, sometimes in less than a minute.”
On average, 78 people die in B.C. each year from drowning. The most common reasons for drowning deaths from 2013 to 2023 were boating, falling into the water and swimming. During that same time period, people 19–29 years old accounted for 20 per cent of deaths, and 80 per cent of all people who died were male.
Drowning is preventable. Here are four ways you can be water smart to keep you and your loved ones safe.
