Health hazards and climate

change flood risk

The health implications of flooding are likely to be worsened by
changing patterns of flooding that are associated with predictions of
climate change. Apart from immediate direct health impacts such as
death through drowning and severe injuries, flooding can increase
exposure to pathogens and toxins; can have severe implications for
mental and nutritional health; and can severely disrupt water
supplies and health care systems. In developing countries in
particular, flooding brings increased risk of disease through the
spread of waste and persistent low-lying water creating habitats for
mosquitoes and other disease vectors. Floods may also increase
respiratory infections, skin infections and diarrhoeal diseases. Risk
of infection is greatly worsened by blockages to drainage channels
and sanitation systems.

Dr Roger Few of the Overseas Development Group at the University

of East Anglia is leading a project that investigates how vulnerable
populations and health care systems can respond and adapt to the
health risks from flooding. The study provides the first strategic
assessment of how institutions can adapt to health impacts from Tyndall Centre research into the health risks of flooding is the first
strategic assessment of the health impacts of climate change. The project
climate change. In the first stage of research, he seeks to integrate
investigates how vulnerable populations and health care systems can
epidemiological, social and institutional research across
respond and adapt to the health risks from flooding.
industrialised and developing countries that address health,
adaptation, and flooding.

A pilot study will be carried-out in flood-prone Vietnam to test

emerging ideas about vulnerability, resilience and adaptation to
health impacts. The work will analyse how low-income communities
in the Mekong Delta region perceive, respond and adapt to the
health risks posed by flooding, and examine how existing polices
and interventions shape the response to flooding within the formal
health sector.

This project will host a conference to discuss and disseminate its

findings, with participants from organisations such as the World
Health Organisation; Centre on Global Change and Health; the Red
Cross; and the South American hazards research network (La Red).
The aim is to help strengthen health-related adaptation at all levels
in society in the face of increasing global flood risk.

More information Useful Websites

Contact the lead investigator of Project T3.31 (Health and flood risk: Dialogue on water and climate
A strategic assessment of adaptation processes and policies): www.waterandclimate.org
Dr Roger Few
Overseas Development Group, School of Development Studies London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ www.lshtm.ac.uk/departments
Tel: 01603 593678
r.few@uea.ac.uk Flood Hazard Research Centre, University of Middlesex
www.fhrc.mdx.ac.uk
Other researchers involved in this project are:
Dr Franziska Matthies, Tyndall Centre HQ Climate Change and Human Health Integrated Assessment Web
Professor Nigel Arnell, Tyndall Centre South www.jhu.edu/~climate/
Mike Ahern, Professor Sandy Cairncross, Sari Kovats, and Dr Paul
Wilkinson, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research
Professor Paul Hunter, School of Medicine, Health Policy and Practice, www.tyndall.ac.uk
University of East Anglia
Dr Robert Maynard, UK Department of Health Project duration
Sue Tapsell, Flood Hazard Research Centre, Middlesex University April 2003 – September 2004

Round 3