Listen to Story In the wee hours of July 30, 2024, two landslides disrupted the otherwise quiet and idyllic Wayanad town in Kerala. Two settlements were wiped out, over 300 killed, with hundreds still missing and many left homeless. The disaster was so devastating that the government had to list not just the bodies found, but also the body parts recovered.
While hundreds were swept away, carried off by the raging floodwaters, those who survived the heavy rains and landslides faced even more danger from the destruction left behind. The danger of the outbreak of diseases. THE THREAT OF AN OUTBREAK A large-scale public tragedy like this leads to medical ramifications and requires proactive planning.
Unchecked infectious diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, and other waterborne illnesses could overwhelm a community already reeling from disaster. Taking swift action is essential. Without it, the area could face yet another devastating public health crisis.
In 2010, the Haiti earthquake was followed by an outbreak of cholera months later. The disease spread rapidly due to poor sanitation, contaminated water, and the displacement of over 1 million people. The disaster was so devastating that the government had to list not just the bodies found, but also the body parts recovered.
(Photo: PTI) This cholera outbreak, which had not been seen in Haiti for over a century, claimed thousands of lives and compounded the suffering of a nation already grappling with the devastation caused by the .