A 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Myanmar and Bangkok on Friday causing massive destruction. Videos of high-rise buildings shaking and people running in panic have gone viral on social media, sparking widespread fear and concerns about the earthquake’s impact on infrastructure and public safety. Several fatalities have been reported from quake-hit sites while dozens are believed to be trapped even as rescue efforts are on.
As quakes are hard to predict there is no scope of preparing for them in advance. Strong tremors leave behind a long trail of death and damage to key infra facilities. They also cause stress and trauma among those affected by it. Many people in and around earthquake sites have been seen to have developed mental health issues.
Beyond the death toll, major earthquakes trigger health emergencies as severely strained resources and crippled infrastructure fail to meet urgent needs. Due to the collapse of houses, affected people have to move to temporary shelters which generally lack basic health facilities. This increases the risk of infectious and vector-borne diseases, further complicating the health problems.During earthquakes, there are also risks of damage to chemical storage tanks and gas pipelines which can cause dermal, respiratory and systemic toxic effects among the population.
Here are some of the health issues triggered by earthquakes:
Respiratory issues
The collapse of buildings and other concrete structures following an earthquake generates huge amounts of dust and debris. The fine particulate matter from it can cause coughing, wheezing, and other respiratory issues. Some of the older buildings at the earthquake site may contain asbestos the exposure of which could lead to serious lung diseases like asbestosis.
Due to poor air quality in the affected area, children, the elderly and other vulnerable people also face the risk of respiratory infections.
Psychological problems
Apart from physical injury and heightened risk of respiratory issues, many earthquake survivors experience mental health problems. Some common mental issues faced by people affected by earthquakes are nightmares and anxiety problems, especially among those who lost their loved ones.
Many survivors of the calamity complain of panic attacks for weeks and months. Some of them remain in constant fear of another earthquake. Such people may also start suffering from sleep disorders, requiring psychiatric support. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among those worst hit by natural disasters.
Water-borne diseases
Broken pipelines and damaged water treatment units could lead to bacterial and chemical contamination. Damage to the sewage infrastructure often leads to stagnant water in earthquake-hit areas. While contamination of water causes diseases like cholera, gastroenteritis and dysentery, stagnant water gives rise to mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue.
Skin problems
Contaminated water, prolonged exposure to dust and poor sanitation increase the risk of skin problems for earthquake survivors. Skin problems include both bacterial and fungal infections. Those at overcrowded shelter homes sometimes complain of itchy skin. Additionally, constant exposure to dust and debris sometimes causes inflamed skin.