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 |