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SELFIE-INFLICTED

Scientists call for ‘no selfie zones’ after shocking study finds 259 people killed taking selfies

The worrying phenomenon called 'selficide' has increased at an alarming rate over the past six years

SCIENTISTS are calling for "no selfie zones" after the incredible number of "selficides" was revealed in a new study.

Between 2011 and 2017, 259 people have been accidentally killed in all kinds of different ways while taking selfies all over the world.

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A new study found that 259 people died in just six years while taking selfies in tourist hot spots around the worldCredit: Alamy

The most common ways that people die while taking selfies is by drowning, being hit by traffic or falling.

And it happens overwhelmingly to men, with nearly three quarters of the victims being male (153).

Eight people were killed by animals while taking selfies and another 16 were electrocuted in the same period.

The country where most of the deaths happened was India which accounted for around half of all the selfie-related deaths, closely followed by Russia, the USA and Pakistan.

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Drowning, falling and being hit by vehicles are the most common ways that people are killed taking selfiesCredit: Alamy

Dr Agam Bansal at the India Institute of Medical Sciences led the research.

He said: "Selfies are themselves not harmful, but the human behaviour that accompanies selfies is dangerous.

"Individuals need to be educated regarding certain risky behaviours and risky places where selfies should not be taken.

"'No selfie zones' areas should be declared across many tourist areas, [especially] places such as water bodies, mountain peaks, and over tall buildings to decrease the incidence of selfie-related deaths."

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Scientists say that 'no selfie zones' should be introduced in certain places to save more livesCredit: Alamy

In one incident last year, 48 people were injured while taking selfies in front of a burning bakery in India despite firefighters' warnings to move away.

And earlier this year, a British tourist and her Australian boyfriend fell 100ft to their deaths taking a selfie while overlooking a beach in Portugal.

Similarly, Sarita Rammahesh Chouhan took a selfie just seconds before she fell to her death taking another in front of her family in India.


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