Jellyfish Stings Girl In Filtered Beach Rock Pool

[mrmoshe]

Jellyfish stings girl in filtered beach rock pool

LIFESAVERS believe an irukandji jellyfish that stung a girl in a north Queensland swimming lagoon entered via the pool's pump system.

The teenage girl was severely stung yesterday afternoon at The Strand rock pool in Townsville.

Surf Lifesaving Queensland's Travis Slattery said the rock pool was closed immediately and drained today, while two netted beaches beside the pool were closed and dragged.

A live irukandji jellyfish was found in the rock pool.

"The only way for it to have possibly got through is through the intakes, through the pump units," Mr Slattery said.

"It was a one in a million chance that it got in there."

It was only the third time in 60 years an irukandji sting had been recorded at The Strand.

Mr Slattery said the pool would be filled and dragged before it was reopened.

He said frequent draggings of the pool may be introduced in the future.