USA: The worst isn't over: Common ways people are often killed during a major storm's aftermath
By Ashley Williams
A natural disaster's threats don't end once the severe weather dissipates. Research has shown that a large number of fatalities continue to occur after the worst of the storm is over.
After flooding and hurricanes, for instance, some common ways people indirectly die post-disaster include car crashes, electrocutions and cardiovascular problems, according to a 2005 study.
In 2016, researchers also examined 59 deadly tropical cyclones that occurred over a 50-year period beginning in 1963. They found that the number of indirect deaths is almost equal to the total amount of fatalities directly linked to the storms.
The indirect death toll also surpassed that of directly related storm deaths for seven out of 10 of the deadliest hurricanes that have occurred since 2000, including Katrina, Rita and Charley.
“It’s so important for people to heed the warnings, advice and requests of their local authorities, because many of those post-storm deaths can be avoided by taking some basic precautions,” said Clemson University's Emergency Management Director, Sarah Custer.
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