| Direct effects | |
| Causes | Health implications |
| Stream flow velocity: topographic land features: absence of warning; rapid speed of flood onset; deep floodwaters; landslides; risk behavior; fast flowing waters carrying debris. | Drowning injuries |
| Contact with water | Respiratory diseases; shock; hypothermia; cardiac arrest. |
| Contact with polluted waters | Wound infections; dermatitis; conjunctivitis; gastrointestinal illnesses; ear, nose and throat infections; possible serious waterborne disease. |
| Increase in physical and emotional stress | Increase of susceptibility to psychosocial disturbances and cardiovascular incidences |
| Indirect effects | |
| Causes | Health implications |
| Damage to water supply systems; sewage and sewage disposal damage; insufficient water supply | Possible waterborne infections (e.g. enterogenic E. coli, shigella; hepatitis A; leptosperiosis) |
| Disruption to transport systems | Food shortages; disruption of emergency services. |
| Underground services disruption; contamination from waste sites; release of chemicals, oil, petrol storage etc. | Potential acute or chronic effects from chemical pollution. |
| Standing waters; heavy rainfall, expanded range of vector(disease carrying organism—especially insects) habitats | Vector borne diseases. |
| Rodent migration | Possible diseases caused by rodents |
| Disruption of social networks; loss of property, jobs and family members/friends | Possible psychosocial disturbance |
| Post flood clean-up activities | Electrocutions; other injuries |
| Damage to or disruption of health services | Decreases in standard of or insufficient access to health care |