Man Gets Stung By Stingray At Sentosa, Warns Others To Keep A Lookout
Sentosa is a common haunt for local beach lovers to kick back and relax as many apprecaite its pristine beaches and clear waters.
However, do be careful when you’re there as sand around the shallow seawaters could be home to marine creatures that do not want to be disturbed.
On Saturday (3 Apr), a man shared on Facebook that he had accidentally stepped on a stingray when he was at Tanjong Beach in Sentosa and got stung.
He then warned other beachgoers to be alert and watch out for these creatures.
Man accidentally steps on stingray & gets stung
According to the post in Nature Society (Singapore) Facebook group, the man was enjoying his time at Tanjong Beach with his family last Sunday (28 Mar).
When they were making their way out of water, the man accidentally stepped on a stingray and got stung by it.
Lifeguards quickly rushed over to help him. Soon after, the man was conveyed to Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
Hospitalised for 4 days
The man shared that the days that followed were filled with “some of the most intense nerve pain” he’s ever experienced.
Not only was the pain concentrated around the sting wound, it also shot up to his leg and down to his foot.
Despite the constant and generous doses of heavy painkillers, the pain did not subside, especially at night.
Thankfully, the situation improved on day 4. He was then discharged from SGH, although a small scar still remains from the sting.
Warns beachgoers to be careful
Speaking to lifeguards and doctors at the hospital, the man found out that on the same day, another person was also stung by a stingray at Siloso Beach, Sentosa.
It made him realise that this was no freak accident as such incidents do happen.
Sharing his story, he hopes other beachgoers will be more careful so that they can avoid having to go through a similar ordeal.
In his Facebook post, he said that the stingers on stingrays are strong enough to penetrate through beach shoes. He even likened the sting to being hit by a hammer on his ankle.
He then suggested beachgoers to shuffle their feet through the sand instead of taking proper steps.
The man ended his post saying he was not mad at the the stingray. After all, he was in its territory and had stepped on it. Such a defensive reaction was only to be expected.
Always watch your step at the beach
While beaches are places for us to unwind and relax, it will do us well to remember that they are also home to many marine creatures that we have to keep a lookout for.
According to Wild Singapore, stingrays are not aggressive in nature and usually only sting when you step on them.
They advise that covered shoes should be worn when possible and you should always watch your step and walk slowly in the sand as stingrays are hard to spot.
In the event that you feel a movement under your foot, pull back and don’t step down.
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Featured image adapted from Facebook.
