Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Situations:A Guide for Effective Aid (PAHO-OPS, 1999, 20 p.): Effects of Natural Disasters on Health

Humanitarian Assistance in Disaster Situations:A Guide for Effective Aid (PAHO-OPS, 1999, 20 p.)

		(introduction...)
		International Health Relief Assistance: Benefit or Burden?
		Principles of Humanitarian Assistance
		Obtaining International Disaster Relief
		After a Disaster Occurs, Do...
		Discourage Sending...
		Consult Further About Donations of...
		Myths and Realities of Natural Disasters
		Effects of Natural Disasters on Health
		Annex 1: SUMA
		Annex 2: Pan American Health Organization. Disaster Contacts
		Back Cover

Effects of Natural Disasters on Health

The effects of disasters on health differ according to the type of disaster, the economic and political situation in the affected country, and degree to which its infrastructure is developed.

Effect	Earthquakes	High winds (w/out flooding)	Tidal waves/ flash floods	Slow-onset floods	Landslides	Volcanoes/ Lahars

Deaths	Many	Few	Many	Few	Many	Many
Severe injuries requiring extensive treatment	Many	Moderate	Few	Few	Few	Few
Increasing risk of communicable diseases	Potential risk following all major disasters			(Probability rises with overcrowding and deteriorating sanitation)
Damage to health facilities	Severe (structure and) equipment)	Severe	Severe but localized	Severe (equipment only)	Severe but localized	Severe (structure and equipment)
Damage to water systems	Severe	Light	Severe	Light	Severe but localized	Severe
Food shortage	(may occur due to economic and logistic factors)		Common	Common	Rare	Rare
Major population movements	Rare (may occur in heavily damaged urban areas)			Common (generally limited)