When I was renting an apartment in rural China, the hot water heater for the shower was an open-top welded sheet metal box with a submerged heating element from a kettle. It was attached by a plastic clip to the lip of the box wired up to a light switch just outside the stall. You had to be careful not to get the light switch wet. Definite death trap.
Ya, I guess they are aware of the dangers, but here in america if we had stuff like that, people would die all the time. They just don't pay attention.
Can confirm. Am Canadian. Died.