Severe flooding puts people at risk even after event, study finds
A man carries a woman on his back as he wades through the water in a flooded area of Batabano, Mayabeque Province, Cuba, on August 28. Picture: Yamil Lage/AFP via Getty Images
People affected by severe flooding events around the world are at risk of death weeks after the actual event, a decade-long study has found.
Monash University scientists in Australia found that people impacted by a flooding event are at significantly increased risk of dying prematurely, with the likes of heart and lung issues arising between three and six weeks after the event, long after the waters have receded.
While major floods have killed thousands of people around the world in recent decades, Ireland has shown it is not immune, with communities all over the country coming to a standstill for days when an event occurs.
Climate change is expected to exacerbate floods in the coming years as extreme weather becomes more frequent and intense as the planet warms, while sea-level rise in the coming decades will also give rise to increased flooding.
The Monash study found that the risk of dying increased and persisted for up to 60 days, or 50 days for diseases of the heart, after a flooded day.
The risk increases by 2.1% for deaths of all causes, or 2.6% for heart-related deaths, and just under 5% for deaths related to the respiratory system, the study found.
The study, led by Professors Shanshan Li and Yuming Guo, examined 761 communities from 34 countries that had experienced at least one flood event during the decade from 2000 to 2019.
They reviewed some 47.6m all-cause deaths including 11.1m cardiovascular deaths, and 4.9m respiratory deaths.
Flood-related deaths occurred more in populations with low socioeconomic status and among older people.
Prof Guo said: “Do mortality risks change after floods in the general population?
Prof Li added: “Our study suggests that all-causes, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality risks reach a peak at around 25 days and last for up to 60 days after exposure to floods."
It is believed that in the aftermath of a flooding event, deaths from natural causes may be triggered by contamination of food and water, as well as exposure to pathogens such as fungi, bacteria, and virus.
Psychological damage and a lack of access to healthcare may also be an impediment.
Prof Guo said that healthcare providers should be aware of the increased health risks following floods, particularly in vulnerable communities and when there are persistent floods, since the health impacts will add up.
“They should incorporate this knowledge into their practice and be prepared for the suddenly elevated demands of health services to reduce avoidable deaths from natural causes," he said.
"Public health institutions should monitor the changes in mortality rate in the 25 days following floods to enable prompt interventions."
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