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Why Digging Holes At The Beach Is Extremely Hazardous For Visitors, First Responders, And Wildlife

Most beachgoers know that hitting the shoreline comes with some dangers– including the risk of rip currents, sunburn, and pollution, to name a few.

But, a lesser known risk concerns the large beach holes that kids and adults alike often dig in the sand.

These holes, when left unattended, can be highly hazardous to patrons, first responders, and local wildlife.

The Assateague Island National Park Service, located on the coast of Maryland and Virginia, recently issued a public service announcement on Facebook to reiterate the dangers of digging holes at the beach.

“Why is one of our interns standing in a large hole giving you all a thumbs down, you may ask? Because there has been a recent uptick in the number of large, unattended holes left on Assateague’s beach. And we are talking so many holes… like ‘craters on the moon’ lots of holes!” the post began.

The National Park Service went on to describe why these holes are so dangerous. First, suffering a twisted or broken ankle at the beach is never fun.

These holes, if unnoticed by beachgoers, can result in countless unintended injuries. Plus, the wild horses at Assateague could also inadvertently fall in and become seriously injured.

Second, sand holes and tunnels are not immune to collapse. In fact, numerous people have become trapped inside sand wells they dug themselves.

Facebook; pictured above is one of the Assateague Island National Park Service interns in a hole someone dug at the beach

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