Health Disasters and Development

CONSIDERATIONS ON DISASTER Ms. Claudia Gomez Prieto 2002 natural disasters-earthquakes, cyclones, floods, volcanic eruptions, avalanches, etc .- have blinded millions of lives. In the last twenty years have also produced some kind of impact about 800 million people, and caused losses of more than 50,000 million dollars only in property damage. As Eric Noji said in his report "The Nature of Disasters. Characteristics and effects on public health, "a major disaster occurs almost daily in the world, and natural one, which requires international support for affected populations is presented weekly. Moreover, based on threats of disasters, are likely to be worse in the future.

The increased population density in flooded land in vulnerable coastal areas and near fault lines, the development and transport of many toxic and hazardous materials, and the rapid industrialization of countries development, have drawn attention from experts on the future occurrence of disasters, with the potential of millions of victims. In fact our planet will continue over the coming decades exposed to countless storms, floods, landslides, earthquakes, wildfires, tornadoes, droughts, volcanic eruptions, which unfortunately must be added the related urban violence, terrorism, and emergency complex, with large numbers of displaced populations. The consequences of disasters are current economic turmoil, collapse of political structures, violence, social conflict, famine, disease and mass displacement of populations. Much of the damage caused by natural and man made disasters could be avoided with the basic implementation of prevention and preparedness measures. Definition of disaster disasters are sudden events or unstoppable, causing damage and human and material losses of such magnitude or severity exceeding the response capacity of conventional systems, justifying the mobilization of extra resources.