Natural Disasters and Impacts on Health 2I
Natural Disasters and Impacts on Health 2I : Volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions have immediate life threatening health effects as they eject tonnes of airborne pollutants into the atmosphere. Like smoke from large forest fires, the airborne pollutants may cause new respiratory diseases or exacerbate existing conditions. With volcanoes, however, the sheer magnitude of a large eruption can literally fill the atmosphere with tonnes upon tonnes of ash and lethal gases. If caught within close proximity to an eruption, even individuals with no respiratory illnesses will find it hard to breath. Common effects of toxic volcanic gases such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and sulphuric acid include acute respiratory distress syndrome, pulmonary edema, irritant conjunctivitis, joint pain, muscle weakness, and cutaneous bullae. Burns due to superheated steam or from secondary fires started by the eruption are also common. In many instances mudslides occur in conjunction with volcanic eruptions as the topographical contour of the hillside is changed rapidly. Mudslides, which are commonly seen in flooding situations as well, can lead to crush injuries, severe internal bleeding, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, and asphyxiation.
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