just a prank bro <| sep |> Just looked it up It seems that older canals were originally built around 6 feet deep , while newer ones are generally around 4 due to less displacement on boats nowadays , as well as to reduce danger . Silting of course makes them shallower over time . If you ' re 56 feet tall , a canal is probably not dangerous unless you panic . However , a 13 yearold is probably not tall enough to be able to stand on the bottom . <| sep |> Sorry if it wasn ' t helpful <| sep |> Burned . At the stake ! <| sep |> I saw one the other day . Freaked me out <| sep |> The key words are . in a foreign country . If you are in an underdeveloped country , infectious disease is a much bigger problem than in developed countries . Local customs vary , of course . So take your was I wrong to demand going to the hospital into the cultural relevance .