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Mother nature caused nearly 600 deaths in Arizona between 2005 and 2011.
Even though most injuries sustained from nature or the environment aren’t fatal in Arizona — as more than 22,000 people visited emergency rooms for those injuries in 2011 alone — you might be surprised to find out what the most deadly killers are in the state.
Check out the list of the top-five natural killers in Arizona, including death tolls from 2005 through 2011:
5.) Lightning: 9 deaths
Much better odds than winning a lottery jackpot. The state health department report doesn’t show how many, if any, people survived lightning strikes during this seven-year span.
4.) Mauled or Bitten by Dog: 12 deaths
Dog attacks are hardly ever fatal, as 6,720 people visited an emergency room for a dog bite in 2011, but only 12 people have been killed by dog attacks in the last seven years.
3.) Venomous Creatures: 16 deaths
Believe it or not, there were no deaths from scorpions in Arizona between 2005 and 2011, although more than 4,000 people were hospitalized for a scorpion bite in 2011 alone.
2.) Excessive Cold: 157 deaths
It might be news to people who aren’t from Arizona, but the entire state isn’t an oven.
1.) Excessive Heat: 350 deaths
Number of people surprised by the No. 1 natural killer in Arizona: Zero.
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Follow Matthew Hendley on Twitter at @MatthewHendley.
