|
Coping with Natural Disasters: The Role of Local Health Personnel and the Community
ANNEXES
Annex 1. Diseases to be monitored when people are housed in temporary shelters
|
Disease1 |
Main Causes | |
Diarrhoeal diseases |
Overcrowding. Contaminated water and food. | |
Measles |
Overcrowding. | |
Respiratory complaints |
Poor housing conditions. Shortage of blankets and clothing.
| |
Malaria |
A new environment with a type of malaria against which the
refugees have no protection. Stagnant water becoming a mosquito breeding ground.
| |
Meningococcal meningitis |
Overcrowding in a region where the disease is endemic (it is
often seasonal in certain places). | |
Tuberculosis |
Overcrowding. | |
Helminths, particularly hookworm |
Overcrowding. Poor sanitation. | |
Scabies (a skin disease caused by mites) |
Overcrowding. Poor bodily hygiene. |
|
Xerophthalmia (infant blindness) |
Vitamin A deficiency (xerophthalmia is often provoked by measles
or some other acute infection). | |
Anaemia |
Malaria, hookworm, shortage or poor assimilation of iron and
folate. | |
Tetanus |
Injuries in an unvaccinated population. Poor obstetrical
practice may cause tetanus of the newborn. |
¹People suffering from malnutrition are
particularly at risk of serious attacks of all these diseases. Good nutrition
therefore constitutes an effective preventive
measure.
Annex 2. Specimen record card for use by person in charge of family grouping in preparing health report in collaboration with local health personnel
|
Date |
Grouping |
|
Prepared by | |
SHELTER No. |
FEVER Name and age of person concerned |
DIARRHOEA Name and age of person concerned |
DOES NOT FEEL WELL Name and age of person concerned and
description of complaint | |
|
|
|
|
Annex 3. Nutrition
Recommended daily energy and protein intakes for healthy individuals1
|
|
|
Proteins (g) |
| |
Group |
Energy in MJ(kcalth) |
Mixed diet with some animal protein |
Cereals, possibly with legumes |
Approximate proportion of the population in a developing
country % | |
0-1 year |
3.4 (820) |
14 |
(breast-feeding, supplemented after 6 mths by weaning foods)
|
3.0 | |
1-3 years |
5.7(1360) |
21 |
27 |
9.0 | |
4 - 6 years |
7.7 (1830) |
25 |
33 |
8.7 | |
7-9 years |
9.2 (2190) |
29 |
37 |
8.5 | |
10-14 years: |
|
|
|
| |
boys |
11.7 (2800) |
46 |
58 |
6.3 | |
girls |
10.3 (2450) |
40 |
50 |
6.2 | |
Male adult (moderately active) |
12.6 (3000) |
49 |
62 |
29.2 | |
Female adult (moderately active) |
9.2 (2200) |
39 |
48 |
26.2 | |
Pregnancy (latter half) |
10.7 (2550) |
49 |
63 |
1.5 | |
Lactation |
11.5 (2750) |
60 |
77 |
1.4 |
1Adapted from DE VILLE DEGOYET, C., SEAMAN, J. &
GEUER, U., The management of nutritional emergencies in large
populations. Geneva, World Health Organization, 1978.
If an adequate energy supply is not provided, some
protein will be burnt to provide energy and not used for body growth or repair,
i.e. it will be used in the same way as carbohydrate or fat, which are much less
expensive.
A part (20-40%) of the energy requirement should be supplied
from fats or oils, which greatly enhance the palatability of the diet, diminish
its bulk (important for younger children) and reduce transport requirements.
Energy requirements vary widely even in normal individuals. They
are also increased by physical activity. For example, a 65-kg man requires
daily:
6.3 MJ (1500 kcal) when resting in bed day and
night.
11.3 MJ (2700 kcalth) if lightly active
in the daytime (clerk, office worker).
12.6 MJ (3000 kcalth) if moderately active 8 hours a
day.
14.6 MJ (3500 kcalth) if doing heavy work 8 hours a
day (labourer).
Much higher intakes are required for the treatment of
malnutrition.
Weight-for-height1
A. Young children (both sexes)
|
Weight (kg) | |
Height (cm) |
Standard |
90% standard |
80% standard |
70% standard |
60% standard | |
50 |
3.4 |
3.1 |
2.7 |
2.4 |
2.0 | |
51 |
3.5 |
3.2 |
2.8 |
2.4 |
2.1 | |
52 |
3.7 |
3.3 |
3.0 |
2.6 |
2.2 | |
53 |
3.9 |
3.5 |
3.1 |
2.7 |
2.3 | |
54 |
4.1 |
3.7 |
3.3 |
2.9 |
2.5 | |
55 |
4.3 |
3.9 |
3.4 |
3.0 |
2.6 | |
56 |
4.6 |
4.1 |
3.7 |
3.2 |
2.8 | |
57 |
4.8 |
4.3 |
3.8 |
3.4 |
2.9 | |
58 |
5.1 |
4.6 |
4.1 |
3.6 |
3.1 | |
59 |
5.3 |
4.8 |
4.2 |
3.7 |
3.2 | |
60 |
5.6 |
5.0 |
4.5 |
3.9 |
3.4 | |
61 |
5.9 |
5.3 |
4.7 |
4.1 |
3.5 | |
62 |
6.2 |
5.6 |
5.0 |
4.3 |
3.7 | |
63 |
6.5 |
5.8 |
5.2 |
4.6 |
3.9 | |
64 |
6.7 |
6.0 |
5.4 |
4.7 |
4.0 | |
65 |
7.0 |
6.3 |
5.6 |
4.9 |
4.2 | |
66 |
7.3 |
6.6 |
5.8 |
5.1 |
4.4 | |
67 |
7.6 |
6.8 |
6.1 |
5.3 |
4.6 | |
68 |
7.9 |
7.1 |
6.3 |
5.5 |
4.7 | |
69 |
8.2 |
7.4 |
6.6 |
5.7 |
4.9 | |
70 |
8.5 |
7.6 |
6.8 |
6.0 |
5.1 | |
71 |
8.7 |
7.8 |
7.0 |
6.1 |
5.2 | |
72 |
9.0 |
8.1 |
7.2 |
6.3 |
5.4 | |
73 |
9.2 |
8.3 |
7.4 |
6.4 |
5.5 | |
74 |
9.5 |
8.6 |
7.6 |
6.6 |
5.7 | |
75 |
9.7 |
8.7 |
7.8 |
6.8 |
5.8 | |
76 |
9.9 |
8.9 |
7.9 |
6.9 |
5.9 | |
77 |
10.1 |
9.1 |
8.1 |
7.1 |
6.1 | |
78 |
10.4 |
9.4 |
8.3 |
7.3 |
6.2 | |
79 |
10.6 |
9.5 |
8.5 |
7.4 |
6.4 | |
80 |
108 |
9.7 |
8.6 |
7.6 |
6.5 | |
81 |
11.0 |
9.9 |
8.8 |
7.7 |
6.6 | |
82 |
11.2 |
10.1 |
9.0 |
7.8 |
6.7 | |
83 |
11.4 |
10.3 |
9.1 |
8.0 |
6.8 | |
84 |
11.5 |
10.4 |
9.2 |
8.0 |
6.9 | |
85 |
11.7 |
10.5 |
9.4 |
8.2 |
7.0 | |
86 |
11.9 |
10.7 |
9.5 |
8.3 |
7.1 | |
87 |
12.1 |
10.9 |
9.7 |
8.5 |
7.3 | |
88 |
12.3 |
11.1 |
9.8 |
8.6 |
7.4 | |
89 |
12.6 |
11.3 |
10.1 |
8.8 |
7.6 | |
90 |
12.8 |
11.5 |
10.2 |
9.0 |
7.7 | |
91 |
13.0 |
11.7 |
10.4 |
9.1 |
7.8 | |
92 |
13.2 |
11.9 |
10.6 |
9.2 |
7.9 | |
93 |
13.5 |
12.2 |
10.8 |
9.4 |
8.1 | |
94 |
13.7 |
12.3 |
11.0 |
9.6 |
8.2 | |
95 |
14.2 |
12.8 |
11.4 |
9.9 |
8.5 | |
96 |
14.5 |
13.0 |
11.6 |
10.2 |
8.7 | |
97 |
14.8 |
13.3 |
11.8 |
10.4 |
8.9 | |
98 |
15.0 |
13.5 |
12.0 |
10.5 |
9.0 | |
99 |
15.3 |
13.8 |
12.2 |
10.7 |
9.2 | |
100 |
15.5 |
14.0 |
12.4 |
10.8 |
9.3 | |
101 |
15.8 |
14.2 |
12.6 |
11.1 |
9.5 | |
102 |
16.1 |
14.4 |
12.9 |
11.3 |
9.7 | |
103 |
16.4 |
14.8 |
13.1 |
11.5 |
9.8 | |
104 |
16.7 |
15.0 |
13.4 |
11.7 |
10.0 | |
105 |
16.9 |
15.2 |
13.5 |
11.8 |
10.1 | |
106 |
17.2 |
15.4 |
13.8 |
12.0 |
10.3 | |
107 |
17.5 |
15.8 |
14.0 |
12.2 |
10.5 | |
108 |
17.8 |
16.0 |
14.2 |
12.5 |
10.7 | |
109 |
18.2 |
16.4 |
14.6 |
12.7 |
10.9 |
B. Adults
|
Height (cm) |
Males (weight in kg) |
Female (weight) in kg) |
|
Standard weight |
80% standard |
standard |
60% standard |
Standard |
80% standard |
70% standard |
60% standard | |
140 |
|
|
|
|
44.9 |
36.0 |
31.5 |
27.0 | |
141 |
|
|
|
|
45.4 |
36.4 |
31.8 |
27.3 | |
142 |
|
|
|
|
45.9 |
36.8 |
32.2 |
27.6 | |
143 |
|
|
|
|
46.4 |
37.2 |
32.5 |
27.9 | |
144 |
|
|
|
|
47.0 |
37.6 |
32.9 |
28.2 | |
145 |
51.9 |
41.6 |
36.4 |
31.2 |
47.5 |
38.0 |
33.3 |
28.5 | |
146 |
52.4 |
42.0 |
36.7 |
31.5 |
48.0 |
38.4 |
33.6 |
28.8 | |
147 |
52.9 |
42.4 |
37.1 |
31.8 |
48.6 |
38.9 |
34.0 |
29.2 | |
148 |
53.5 |
42.8 |
37.5 |
32.1 |
49.2 |
39.4 |
34.5 |
29.6 | |
149 |
54.0 |
43.2 |
37.8 |
32.4 |
49.8 |
39.9 |
34.9 |
29.9 | |
150 |
54.5 |
43.6 |
382 |
32.7 |
50.4 |
40.4 |
35.3 |
30.3 | |
151 |
55.0 |
44.0 |
385 |
33.0 |
51.0 |
40.8 |
35.7 |
30.6 | |
152 |
55.6 |
44.5 |
39.0 |
33.4 |
51.5 |
41.2 |
36.1 |
30.9 | |
153 |
56.1 |
44.9 |
39.3 |
33.7 |
52.0 |
41.6 |
36.4 |
31.2 | |
154 |
56.6 |
45.3 |
39.7 |
34.0 |
52.5 |
42.0 |
36.8 |
31.5 | |
155 |
57.2 |
45.8 |
40.1 |
34.4 |
53.1 |
42.5 |
37.2 |
31.9 | |
156 |
57.9 |
46.4 |
40.6 |
34.8 |
53.7 |
43.0 |
37.6 |
32.2 | |
157 |
58.6 |
46.9 |
41.1 |
35.2 |
54.3 |
43.5 |
38.0 |
32.6 | |
158 |
59.3 |
47.5 |
41.5 |
35.6 |
54.9 |
44.0 |
38.5 |
33.0 | |
159 |
59.9 |
48.0 |
42.0 |
36.0 |
55.5 |
44.4 |
38.9 |
33.3 | |
160 |
60.5 |
48.4 |
42.4 |
36.3 |
56.2 |
45.0 |
39.4 |
33.8 | |
161 |
61.1 |
48.9 |
428 |
36.7 |
56.9 |
45.6 |
39.9 |
34.2 | |
162 |
61.7 |
49.4 |
43.2 |
37.0 |
57.6 |
46.1 |
40.4 |
34.6 | |
163 |
62.3 |
49.9 |
43.6 |
37.4 |
58.3 |
46.7 |
40.8 |
35.0 | |
164 |
62.9 |
50.4 |
44.1 |
37.8 |
58.9 |
47.2 |
41.3 |
35.4 | |
165 |
63.5 |
50.8 |
44.5 |
38.1 |
59.5 |
47.6 |
41.7 |
35.7 | |
166 |
64.0 |
51.2 |
44.8 |
38.4 |
60.1 |
48.1 |
42.1 |
36.1 | |
167 |
64.6 |
51.7 |
45.3 |
38.8 |
60.7 |
48.6 |
42.5 |
36.4 | |
168 |
65.2 |
52.2 |
45.7 |
39.2 |
61.4 |
49.2 |
43.0 |
36.9 | |
169 |
65.9 |
52.8 |
46.2 |
39.6 |
62.1 |
49.7 |
43.5 |
37.3 | |
170 |
66.6 |
53.3 |
46.6 |
40.0 |
|
|
|
| |
171 |
67.3 |
53.9 |
47.1 |
40.4 |
|
|
|
| |
172 |
68.0 |
54.4 |
47.6 |
40.8 |
|
|
|
| |
173 |
68.7 |
55.0 |
48.1 |
41.2 |
|
|
|
| |
174 |
69.4 |
55.6 |
48.6 |
41.7 |
|
|
|
| |
175 |
70.1 |
56.1 |
49.1 |
42.1 |
|
|
|
| |
176 |
70.8 |
56.7 |
49.6 |
42.5 |
|
|
|
| |
177 |
71.6 |
57.3 |
50.2 |
43.0 |
|
|
|
| |
178 |
72.4 |
58.0 |
50.7 |
43.5 |
|
|
|
| |
179 |
73.3 |
58.7 |
51.3 |
44.0 |
|
|
|
|
1 From DE VILLE DE GOYET, C., SEAMAN, J. &
GEIJER, U., The management of nutritional emergencies in large
populations. Geneva, World Health Organization,
1978.
Arm-circumference-for-height, young children (both sexes)1, 2
|
Height (cm) |
Standard arm circumference (cm) |
90% standard |
85% standard |
80% standard |
75% standard |
70% standard |
60% standard | |
54 |
11.1 |
10.0 |
9.4 |
8.9 |
8.3 |
7.8 |
6.7 | |
56 |
11.6 |
104 |
9.9 |
9.3 |
8.7 |
8.1 |
7.0 | |
58 |
12.2 |
11.0 |
10.4 |
9.8 |
9.1 |
8.5 |
7.3 | |
60 |
13.0 |
11.7 |
11.0 |
10.4 |
9.7 |
9.1 |
7.8 | |
62 |
13.9 |
12.5 |
11.8 |
11.1 |
10.4 |
9.7 |
8.3 | |
64 |
14.2 |
128 |
12.1 |
11.4 |
10.6 |
9.9 |
8.5 | |
66 |
14.4 |
13.0 |
12.2 |
11.5 |
10.8 |
10.1 |
8.6 | |
68 |
14.8 |
13.3 |
12.6 |
11.8 |
11.1 |
10.4 |
8.9 | |
70 |
15.4 |
13.9 |
13.1 |
12.3 |
11.5 |
10.8 |
9.2 | |
72 |
15.6 |
14.0 |
13.3 |
12.5 |
11.7 |
10.9 |
9.4 | |
74 |
15.7 |
14.1 |
13.3 |
12.6 |
11.8 |
11.0 |
9.4 | |
76 |
15.8 |
14.2 |
13.4 |
12.6 |
11.8 |
11.1 |
9.5 | |
78 |
159 |
14.3 |
13.5 |
12.7 |
11.9 |
11.1 |
9.5 | |
80 |
15.9 |
14.3 |
13.5 |
12.7 |
11.9 |
11.1 |
9.5 | |
82 |
15.9 |
14.3 |
13.5 |
12.7 |
11.9 |
11.1 |
9.5 | |
84 |
16.0 |
14.4 |
13.6 |
12.8 |
12.0 |
11.2 |
9.6 | |
86 |
16.1 |
14.5 |
13.7 |
12.9 |
12.1 |
11.3 |
9.7 | |
88 |
16.2 |
14.6 |
13.8 |
12.9 |
12.1 |
11.3 |
9.7 | |
90 |
16.2 |
14.6 |
13.8 |
13.0 |
12.1 |
11.3 |
9.7 | |
92 |
16.3 |
14.7 |
13.9 |
13.0 |
12.2 |
11.4 |
9.8 | |
94 |
16.4 |
14.8 |
13.9 |
13.1 |
12.3 |
11.5 |
9.8 | |
96 |
16.5 |
14.9 |
14.0 |
132 |
12.4 |
11.5 |
9.9 | |
98 |
16.6 |
14.9 |
14.1 |
13.3 |
12.4 |
11.6 |
10.0 | |
100 |
16.7 |
15.0 |
14.2 |
13.4 |
12.5 |
11.7 |
10.0 | |
102 |
16.8 |
15.1 |
14.3 |
13.4 |
12.6 |
11.8 |
10.1 | |
104 |
16.9 |
15.2 |
14.4 |
13.5 |
12.7 |
11.8 |
10.1 | |
106 |
17.1 |
15.4 |
14.5 |
13.7 |
12.8 |
12.0 |
10.3 | |
108 |
17.3 |
15.6 |
14.7 |
13.8 |
13.0 |
12.1 |
10.4 | |
110 |
17.4 |
15.7 |
14.8 |
13.9 |
13.1 |
12.2 |
10.4 | |
112 |
17.6 |
15.8 |
15.0 |
14.0 |
13.2 |
12.3 |
10.6 | |
114 |
17.8 |
16.0 |
15.1 |
14.2 |
13.3 |
12.5 |
10.7 |
1 From DE VILLE DE GOYET, C., SEAMAN, J. &
GEIJER, U. The management of nutritional emergencies in large
populations. Geneva, World Health Organization, 1978.
2 This method is not used by the League of Red Cross
and Red Crescent Societies for its assessment of nutritional status because it
is more reliable as a means of measuring
malnutrition.
Indicators of likely need for a supplementary feeding programme (SFP)1
|
Major indicator2 |
Other factors |
Type of SFP | |
General ration averaging less than 1500 kcal per person/day
|
None |
For all vulnerable groups, as soon as possible | |
Over 20 % children malnourished |
|
|
|
10-20% children malnourished |
General ration averaging less than 2000 kcal per person/day
|
|
|
Severe public health hazards |
|
|
Significant diseases (esp. measles) prevalent or imminent |
|
|
None |
Selective within vulnerable groups: at least for all
malnourished | |
5-10% children malnourished |
Any of above |
|
|
None |
No SFP: individual attention to malnourished. (Whatever the
other factors, available resources are probably better used
correcting/minimizing them) | |
Under 5% children malnourished |
Any of above |
|
1Adapted from Handbook for emergencies.
Geneva, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 1982.
2 Percentages are of children under 5 years old under
80%
weight-for-height.
Annex 4. What to do in an earthquake
When an earthquake surprises people indoors, the spontaneous
reaction is often to rush outside, but be careful... If your house is built of
adobe, banco, cob or similar materials, and if the street is wide enough
- wider than the buildings are high - go out and make your way along the middle
of the street towards a square.
 If the streets are narrow, however,
stay indoors and get under a doorway or into an inside corner of the room or
under a table.
If your house is of concrete or steel and you are
on the ground floor, go out and walk along the middle of the street towards a
square.
 The ground floor collapses first. The
higher floors offer greater resistance.
If you live on a higher floor, remain indoors near an internal
pillar.
 Staircases are a weak point.
If your house is of stone, brick or the like and you are above
the ground floor, do not go into the stairwells but position yourself under a
doorway in a load-bearing wall.
 Figure
If you are on the ground floor and the street is wide enough -
wider than the buildings are high - go out and walk along the middle of the
street towards a
square.
Annex 5. Mercalli scale of earthquake intensities (MS)1
|
Intensity |
|
|
I |
Only detected by seismographs, not felt by persons. |
|
II |
Detected indoors by a few persons, particularly on the upper
floors of buildings. | |
III |
Detected indoors by several persons: windows may vibrate and
objects swing. | |
IV |
Detected out of doors by a few persons and indoors by many;
crockery rattles and floors and ceilings creak as they would if a heavily laden
lorry were passing along a cobbled street. | |
V |
Detected by the whole population of a locality. Awakens many
sleepers. Causes liquids to spill. Makes suspended objects swing considerably
and small objects move. Some bells ring. | |
VI |
Awakens all sleepers. Frightened people leave their homes. The
shock makes all bells ring and lighting fitments swing. Clocks stop. Trees
shake, books and small objects fall off shelves and furniture. In badly built
dwellings roughcast surfaces crack and plasterwork falls. | |
VII |
General alarm, but well-built structures suffer no damage.
Church bells ring. Cracks appear in some buildings. Chimneys in a poor state of
repair fall and may damage roofs. Windows are broken. The mud in ponds is
stirred up. Waves form on some watercourses. Variations occur in the level and
width of sources of water. There are landslips on river banks and cracks appear
in roads. Dwellings in tropical areas made of interwoven leaves and branches and
the wooden houses of Japan remain intact. | |
VIII |
General alarm and panic. Gaping cracks appear in well-built
structures. Tree branches break off. Furniture moves about or is overturned,
lighting fitments are damaged. Fissures several centimetres wide appear in the
ground. Lake water becomes muddy. New lakes may be formed. Springs may disappear
or appear and their level and capacity may change several times. Church belfries
and factory chimneys are most damaged. Rocks fall from mountain slopes. Driving
is made difficult. Statues twist round on their pedestals or fall. |
|
IX |
General panic. Partial or total destruction of about 50% of
buildings. Numerous cases of damage to furniture and objects in houses. Animals
flee. Monuments and statues fall. Reservoirs are damaged. Some underground pipes
are broken. | |
X |
Most stone buildings are destroyed. Solid wooden buildings and
bridges suffer damage and some are destroyed. Water and gas mains are broken.
Cracks appear in the streets. Fissures are formed in loose ground and landslides
occur along slopes and river banks. The water of lakes and watercourses is
thrown up on to the banks. | |
XI |
Stone buildings completely destroyed. Solid structures of timber
and branches only survive in isolated cases. Even the best-built bridges are
destroyed. Railway rails are twisted. Dykes disintegrate. | |
XII |
No manmade structures survive. Changes in topography occur:
fault slips, important horizontal displacements, mountain landslides, lake
formation, the appearance of new watercourses, etc. |
¹Some countries use the Rossi_Forel of one to ten. The
Richter scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake, i.e. the energy relesed.
Above Richter magnitude 5.5 damage is generally
caused.
Annex 6. Community risk maps
Risk maps drawn up by the community and local health personnel
are not professional cartographic productions. They serve rather to underpin the
community activity of discussing and assessing the risks.
The essential point in drawing up risk maps is precisely the
work of community education and preparation on which they are based. It is
during meetings to compile risk maps that it is possible to tackle the subject
of the kinds of preventive action to take in each particular situation in the
event of disaster.
Thus, as each risk is catalogued in the course of these meetings
indications can be given on how to reduce it. Examples are the strengthening of
flimsy dwellings, sanitation, the listing of places of refuge in the event of
floods, etc.
It is useful to encourage the establishment of a group of
volunteers ready to work more intensively with the local health personnel. In
the event of a disaster, this group, which will have taken part in drawing up
the risk map, can help to monitor the situation at all the points at risk. This
will give a rapid idea of what has happened on the basis of the points
considered to be most exposed to risk, so that relief priorities can be
organized in the most effective way. If the area to be covered has been shared
out beforehand, the damage and the requirements can be assessed more easily and
quickly.
 Figure
 Risks to buildings
 Other risks
 District risk map prepared by
schoolchildren
(1986)
Annex 7. The signs of danger in disaster-damaged buildings
|
After an earthquake or any other happening that damages houses,
the inhabitants: | |
... feel insecure and anxious because of the danger, the cracks,
doors that will no longer shut, etc. |
... suddenly rediscover signs of damage, even those that existed
before, |
... always have the feeling that the damage, the cracks and the
subsidences are getting worse day after day. | |
It is essential to be ready to reply to such questions as: |
|
Is there a risk of my house collapsing? |
What if there is another earthquake shock? |
What can be done to strengthen the house? |
 How buildings behave in a disaster
NB: almost always an earthquake has several linked effects so
that a mixture of different types of damage and cracks is found.
Floods reduce the cohesion of soils; there is therefore a
risk that foundations may collapse.
|
|
|
| |
Structures of cob, masonry or lean concrete become engorged with
water and may collapse even if there is no subsidence of the foundations. |
|
The cracks indicate the point which has given way. The
longer the flooding lasts, the greater the risks: check the cracks! |
Cyclones cause damage above all to roofs and windows and
sometimes also to load-bearing elements that are not sufficiently rigid.
|
|
|
| |
Because of the drop in atmospheric pressure that precedes a
hurricane, a building may burst and cracks may appear in the walls.
|
Landslides cause the subsidence of foundations or smash
down outer walls; this damage is similar to that caused by floods or cyclones.
Whatever the cause of the damage, it is essential to be able to
recognize dangerous situations:
- cracks that weaken load-bearing structural elements,
|
Vertical cracks in load-bearing walls or horizontal cracks in
the floors near to and parallel with the facade. |
Vertical cracks in the internal walls, running along the same
axis on all storeys. | |
|
| |
The facade is as if separated from the building frame and may
therefore collapse. |
The building is as if cut open vertically. The various parts may
come away in the event of another shock. |
|
Cracks in the comers, growing larger from the bottom upwards.
|
Cracks on vaulting, parallel with the outer walls. |
|
|
| |
In this case there are horizontal thrusts on the tops of the
walls that tend to burst the building open. |
In this case there are horizontal thrusts on the walls that are
not counterbalanced and tend to burst the building open. |
- cracks that show that load-bearing elements have been broken.
|
Cracks that are transverse in relation to the orientation of the
floors or the beams. |
Cracks at the base of stair treads supported on the walls.
Cracks all along the balcony floor. | |
|
| |
In this case the bearing elements are broken. The floor may cave
in. |
The stairs and balconies are now left with only a single point
of support. If it gives way, they will collapse. |
|
Cracks on both sides of light partitions and the length of the
ceiling. |
Cracks in reinforced-concrete structures, exposing the
reinforcement rods. | |
|
| |
In this case the partition is not anchored and may fall. |
In this case the shock has been considerable and the rods are no
longer doing their job. The structure may collapse. |
Other sorts of crack, even though they may seem important, are
not dangerous.
|
Slanting cracks. |
Cracks in the floors parallel with the girders and joists. |
|
|
| |
There is no loosening of the vertical load-bearing elements
(walls, pillars, etc.) or the horizontal ones (floors, etc.). |
Girders and joists are separated from each other but each of
them remains firm. |
|
Irregular cracks in the walls on various storeys. |
Cracks in arches or vaulting which are not supported on the
outer walls. | |
|
| |
The loadbearing elements are weakened but on the whole the
building is holding. |
If the support perimeter cannot sag outwards, the arches and
vaulting are very unlikely to give way. |
What can be done right now to avoid the damage increasing and
enable people to live in safety?
|
Protect the building from later damage by rain or
infiltration: · replace the broken tiles or
protect the roof with plastic sheeting, corrugated iron, etc. · repair the damage to piping. |
Demolish elements that are not holding firm and which are not
necessary to make the house inhabitable: false ceilings, balconies, chimneys,
etc. | |
|
|
|
Shore up elements that are not holding firm but are needed to
make the building inhabitable: stairs, lintels, floors, load-bearing walls.
|
Counter the horizontal thrusts which were counter-balanced
before but are not any longer because of the collapse of an element. |
|
|
|
Annex 8. Resource maps
Drawing up maps of the resources available in the event of a
disaster is a good way of preventing or alleviating the consequences of such a
disaster. Resource maps complement risk maps.
The local health personnel collaborate in preparing them with
the communitys technical services and the local authorities. The aim is to
determine beforehand the resources that could be used in the event of a disaster
and to indicate the places where they can be obtained. Various types of
resources are distinguished:
A. Those used to reach
victims:
·
four-wheel-drive vehicles, boats, lorries, cars, bicycles, other means of
transport, petrol stocks, · emergency
lighting equipment, means of signalling to the
victims.
B. Those used to extricate the
victims:
·
spades, picks, ropes, pulleys, buckets, ladders, chain saws, shears, saws,
toolboxes, pocket torches, blankets,
· power shovels, earthmoving
equipment, cranes.
C. Those needed for giving emergency
care:
·
general supplies for the health facility, ·
emergency health equipment, medicaments, ·
ambulances or other means of transport.
D. Those needed for providing temporary
shelter:
·
buildings considered to be disaster-proof and which can serve as rallying points
(schools, public buildings),
· stores of tents, camping
equipment, caravans and other structures and materials that can be used to
provide shelter,
· the Site chosen for the first
temporary shelters,
· shelters for
animals.
E. Those needed for
survival:
·
foodstuffs, · clothing, boots and other
footwear, · blankets, means of
heating, · means of lighting, · products for personal hygiene, cleaning and
disinfection, · means of waste
disposal, · simple sanitary engineering
equipment.
F. Those needed for
transport:
· base
point for transport (buses, lorries, cars, three-wheeled vehicles, other means
of transport).
G. Those needed for
communications:
· centre
for coordinating information, with megaphones, dispatch riders, batteries,
generating plant, priority telephone lines, other means of communications,
· local radio stations,
· amateur radio operators
(radio hams).
H. Those needed for evacuating the
population:
·
preferred routes, · ways and means, · rallying points and sites for temporary
shelters.
I. Those needed for the transport and burial of
the dead:
· means
of transport, · sheets, stretchers, leather
gloves, rubber gloves, boots, disinfectants, quicklime, · spades, power shovels, earth-moving
equipment.
 A resource map prepared by the
community committee for emergencies
Maps of the resources available in the event of a disaster are
discussed at meetings attended by the various senior officials of the public
services and local authorities. The meetings are open to other bodies interested
(associations, voluntary groups, etc.). A resource map is not a professional
cartographic product but merely a graphic summary of what has been agreed. The
ideal would be for the maps to be accompanied by one or more leaflets or notices
summarizing instructions to the population on what to do if disaster should
strike the
area.
Annex 9. Medical equipment of the health centre or hospital for coping with a disaster
The following is a model list of medical equipment and supplies
that would be useful in the event of a disaster. The items selected will depend
on the professional skills available in the team.
Syringes, sterile disposable, Luer 2 ml Syringes, sterile
disposable, Luer 10 ml Needles, sterile disposable, 0.8 x 40 mm/G21 x
11/2 (0.8 x 38 mm) Needles, sterile disposable, 0.5 x 16 mm/G25 x
5/8(0.5 x 15 mm) Interchangeable glass syringes, Luer 2
ml Interchangeable glass syringes, Luer 10 ml Interchangeable needles,
Luer, 144 assorted Sterile swabs Suture set Needle-holder Scalpel
handle Artery forceps Dissecting forceps Disposable blades Scissors,
straight Scissors, suture Thermometer, clinical Stethoscopes, standard
and fetal Sphygmomanometer, aneroid Vaginal speculum, Graves Tongue
depressor, metal Urethral sounds, Foley type Nos 10-18 Drains or tubes for
thoracic drainage with ancillary equipment and
bottles Tourniquets Assorted tips Tracheal cannulae Kit for
intravenous injections in children Laryngoscopes for neonates, children and
adults (complete) Endotracheal tubes Oxygen masks for children and adults
+ oxygen supply Nasogastric tubes, infant No. 5 (premature baby)
polyethylene Nasogastric tubes, infant No. 8 (newborn)
polyethylene Nasogastric tubes No. 12 polyethylene Needles,
epicranial Gloves, re-usable Gloves, sterile disposabl |