Study finds increase in deaths due to kidney problems highest following tropical cyclones

New Delhi, Nov 6 (PTI) An analysis of deaths in the wake of tropical cyclones in nine countries has found that the highest increase of 92 per cent was seen in deaths due to kidney diseases, followed by 21 per cent in deaths due to physical injuries.

A tropical cyclone is an extreme weather event originating in oceans in the tropics, bringing violent winds, torrential rains and in some cases, destructive coastal flooding.

Deaths due to diabetes were seen to increase by 15 per cent, and those due to neuropsychiatric disorders and infectious diseases by 12 per cent and 11 per cent, respectively, according to findings published in The British Medical Journal.

Researchers led by those at Monash University looked at 14.8 million deaths linked to 217 tropical cyclones during 2000-2019 across 1,356 communities in nine countries including Australia, Brazil, the Philippines and Thailand.

"Mortality risks from various causes consistently increased after tropical cyclones, with peaks occurring within the first two weeks after the cyclone," the authors wrote.

"During the first two weeks after a tropical cyclone, the highest increases were seen in mortality from renal diseases and injuries, with (an increase of 92 per cent and 21 per cent), respectively, for each additional tropical cyclone day," they said.

Communities with higher levels of deprivation and seeing fewer tropical cyclones historically were found to be at a substantially higher risk of death due to renal, infectious and digestive diseases.

The researchers attributed the spike in deaths to disrupted healthcare services, a limited access to medicines and an increased physical and psychological stress among residents.

Deaths due to tropical cyclones could be more strongly linked with rainfall than wind speed, possibly due to flooding and water contamination, suggesting that rainfall in early warning systems should be given a greater emphasis, they said.

However, evidence regarding how tropical cyclones impact public health is lacking, especially in regions that have historically seen fewer tropical cyclones and may have a low resilience to the extreme weather events, the team said.

The study provides "compelling and quantitative evidence for the notably elevated mortality risks from various causes following tropical cyclones at a multi-country level." More evidence on how tropical cyclones can worsen public health problems needs to be urgently integrated into disaster response measures under a continued warming of the planet, the authors said.

They added that the highest risk to health does not stem from immediate trauma but from disrupted healthcare systems, contaminated environment and prolonged stress.

Insights from studies need to be translated into framing policies to protect the most vulnerable and build a resilience against direct and indirect impacts on health due to devastating extreme weather events, the team said. PTI KRS KRS MAH MAH