One would think that dying of thirst and dehydration would the leading cause of death in the desert, but surprisingly, it’s drowning, according to the United States Geological Survey. Though precipitation in the desert is infrequent, when it does rain, it comes on suddenly and very heavily. Since deserts don’t have water drainage systems in place, and the rains fall too fast for the dry, clay-like soil to absorb the rainfall, water overflow becomes excessive. This also results in quicksand and sandstorms, which can lead to drowning by sand.
