JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — After a high number of drownings in Missouri in 2015, canoeists are being reminded to take safety precautions when floating along area rivers.
Canoe outfitters in McDonald County, the state water patrol and the McDonald County Health Department are emphasizing safety this season, the Joplin Globe reports.
Last year, Missouri lakes and rivers had 58 reports of drownings, twice the number reported in 2014. Many of the deaths occurred on popular southwest Missouri streams.
Rainfall was a factor last year. Many of the deaths occurred in May, June and July when total rainfall hit 23.17 inches in southwest Missouri, according to the National Weather Service. That’s more than 50 percent higher than the long-term average for those months, which is 15.26 inches.
