[MANCiNGiKANMaS] Hundred injured by stingrays on Texas beach

[Soni Magelang]

Hundred injured by stingrays on Texas beach Copyright © Barry Peters, Creative Commons Over 100 people have been injured by stingrays over the past few days while bathing on a beach in Texas. According to reports, authorities at South Padre Island said that at least 100 people had been stung while paddling in the shallow water in just four days. Fire Department chief Burney Baskett said that although nobody had been seriously hurt, the number of injuries recorded was the highest in years. The rays are believed to have been swimming close to shore because the waters have been calm, which means that they're sharing the same area used by bathers. Dr Rafael Garcia of Corpus Christi Medical Center said: "If you come into the emergency department, we're going to stick the injury in hot water. We'll give you a shot, something for the discomfort, and then we'll get an x-ray. If the barb has broken inside, then it becomes a much more serious problem." Stingrays typically sting only when stepped upon, so beachgoers are being urged to shuffle their feet through the sand when walking to reduce the risk and frighten nearby rays away. Stingray wounds can be incredibly painful but are rarely fatal. Published: Matt Clarke Monday 16 August 2010, 11:18 am