FLOODING by Mohamed Heikkal Ismail

Flooding affected for 40% of all natural disasters worldwide and causes about half of all deaths from natural disasters. Most floods occur in developing regions and tropical regions where the impact on public health is substantial, the number of people displaced is often large, and the number of deaths is high. In the aftermath of a flood deaths and injuries not only result from the physical characteristics of the event but are also determined by the prevailing socioeconomic and health conditions of the community and any endemic infectious diseases. Increased rates of diarrhoea (including cholera and dysentery), respiratory infections, hepatitis A and E, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, and diseases borne by insects.Waterborne diseases are now a cause for concern.V vulnificus belongs to the cholera bacteria family, and is a rare cause of illness.Malnutrition caused by inadequate supplies of food and problems with distribution compounds of food.
People who are affected by floods are often apprehensive about the potential, long term adverse effects of exposure to contaminants, mould, and toxic substances that may be present in their homes after clean up.The long term effects of flooding on psychological health may perhaps be even more important than illness or injury. For most people the emotional trauma continues long after the water has receded. Making repairs, cleaning up, and dealing with insurance claims can be stressful.Most of the current cases are wound infections in people with underlying medical conditions that are immunocompromising or who have chronic liver diseases.
The public should boil or chlorinate tap water before drink and this is one of the prevention from the flood related diseases but this may be difficult if electricity, gas, and dry wood are not available in the flooding area.

Mohamed Heikkal Ismail
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