Impact of a Destructive Earthquake on People’s Life and Health

Abstract

Destructive earthquakes (intensity 9 on the EMS-98 scale, or M = 7.0–7.5), especially in developing countries, have a strong impact on the health and living conditions of people. They cause great loss of life both during and after an earthquake, since hazards to life and health are associated both with the destruction from the earthquake and with the living conditions that develop in its zone of influence. The main aim of the article is to highlight the most complete list of groups of factors affecting human health from a destructive earthquake and to identify the characteristics of these effects, including the most typical diseases. To conduct research and obtain generalizing conclusions, three multilaterally and in-depth studied earthquakes with severe consequences were selected. For the first time, the most complete list of the main factors of a destructive earthquake affecting people’s health has been compiled, which, according to their genesis, are divided into five groups. Typical diseases are predicted in different zones of damage to buildings and structures. They are presented in a table, indicating some parameters of their distribution area and the most characteristic diseases that have arisen according to the International Classification of Diseases ICD-10. A map of zones of three important interrelated consequences of earthquakes (damage to buildings, groups of impact factors, severity of probable diseases) has been compiled. Average graphs of changes in the level of impact of groups of earthquake factors on people’s health as a function of time are presented, as well as methodological recommendations and assessment data for quantitative calculations of the consequences of an earthquake.