Extreme Weather Events Authored by: Jazmin Burgos
Extreme weather has taken and destroyed the lives of our family, friends, and even places we love to visit. Extreme weather such as hurricanes, floods, heatwaves, and wildfires greatly affects public health. These weather events can cause heat-related illnesses, respiratory problems, waterborne infections, and vector-borne illnesses. Reports from the World Health Organization “Research shows that 3.6 million people already live in areas highly susceptible to climate change. Between 2030 and 2050, climate change Is expected to cause approximately 250,000 additional deaths per year from undernutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and heat stress alone.” (World Health Organization, 2023) A heatwave can amplify the health risks one can have if they’re not adequately sheltered and have the proper tools such as water, a cool area, and food.
While buildings, communities, and healthcare systems are taking damage due to extreme weather, mental health also has damaging effects during harsh environmental weather. The aftereffects of extreme weather have passed a community is disheartening. Hurricanes, wildfires, and floods can leave survivors dealing with the loss of their homes building trauma, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the American Psychology Association “As an example of the impacts natural disasters can have, among a sample of people living in areas affected by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, suicide and suicidal ideation more than doubled, 1 in 6 people met the diagnostic criteria of PTSD and 49% developed an anxiety or mood disorder such as depression.” (APA, 2020)