Delhi Floods: 6 Health Risks to Watch Out For During Flood-Like Situation

After breaking a 45-year record three days ago, the water level at Yamuna in Delhi dropped to 207.98 meters on Friday. Such a flood-like situation also paves the way for the spread of various diseases.

Delhi has been placed on high alert after the Yamuna River started flooding its banks due to torrential rains in the capital. The waters have flooded and drowned several neighborhoods in the area. Monsoons still bring lots of bacteria and fungi to the humid air, but these disastrous flood-like conditions only raise the health risks of developing disease.

After breaking a 45-year record three days ago, the water level in Delhi’s Yamuna dropped to 207.98 meters at 11 p.m. on Friday, the first time it has dropped below 208 meters in recent 48 hours, according to official data. .

The level stood at 208.08 meters at 11:00 p.m. on July 12, according to data shared by the Central Water Commission. In the evening, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the treatment plants in Wazirabad and Chandrawal will resume operation if the level of the Yamuna falls to 207.7 meters on Saturday.

Floods are natural disasters that have the potential to spread more disease. Contaminated water, food, and unsanitary environment can lead to various health complications.

Here are 5 health ailments to watch out for during floods

Typhoid fever: Typhoid fever is caused by a bacterium called Salmonella typhi. As the bacteria invades the body, it causes symptoms such as sustained fever, headache, constipation, nausea, etc. It can last about 14 days. Due to poor sanitation, it can be transported through contaminated food and water.

Anger: According to the definition of the World Health Organization, cholera is an acute diarrheal infection caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. Causes severe diarrhea, vomiting.

Malaria: The deadly infection can be caused by Plasmodium parasites. Fever, chills, sweating, nausea, body aches are initial symptoms. Malaria can last around 7 to 30 days depending on the severity of the disease.

Dengue:

Yellow fever:
Hypothermia: When the body loses heat faster than it can produce it, a medical emergency known as hypothermia (body temperature below 35 degrees Celsius) occurs. In times of flooding, hypothermia is more likely to affect children and the elderly. The symptoms associated with this condition largely depend on the severity of the condition.