Post Flooding Diseases: Issues, Causes and Precautions

Flood waters impose great health and economic risks such as contaminated water & food and property losses. The loss of shelter during flood leaves people susceptible to insect contact, heat and other environmental hazards. Medical care is decisive in areas where little medical care exists. After typhoons, heavy rains and flooding, the impending dangers of diseases increase, such as water-borne diseases (e.g. Typhoid, Leptospirosis, Jaundice, Hepatitis, Skin allergy, etc.) and vector-borne diseases (e.g. Malaria, Dengue etc.). Flooding events including tsunamis can present a potentially hazardous public health risk. Foodstuff in the affected areas may turn out to be contaminated and as a result, it turns out unsafe for human consumption. To put off food-borne diseases, end users should pay additional attention. The effects of a disaster last for a long time. There is a greater need for financial as well as material assistance in the following months subsequent to a disaster and actions such as surveys, medical facilities and supply of medicines, restoration of services and helping the community in recovering to normalcy when the crisis has subsided. The paper presents the required post-flooding measures in terms of precautions, medicines, facility management, and social & physiological assistance.