Impacts of natural disasters on public health and the environmentEnvironmental scienceIntroductionThe occurrences of natural disasters have increased over the years (Laframboise, MN, & Loko , MB, 2012). The impacts of natural disasters can vary considerably depending on the type and severity of the disaster as well as the degree of preparedness of the affected populations. According to Laframboise, MN, and Loko, MB (2012), “Disasters are classified as geophysical (earthquakes), meteorological (storms), hydrological (floods), climatological (droughts) or biological (epidemics) (p.6). » Disasters affect communities in diverse ways and can have short- and long-term effects. There may be physical impacts, public health and environmental impacts, social and psychosocial impacts, demographic impacts, economic impacts and political impacts (Lindell and Prater, 2003). Natural disasters have been shown to disproportionately affect low-income communities and countries, more harshly than wealthier areas (Lindell and Prater, 2003). Noji, Eric K. (1996) states that "from 1965 to 1992, more than 90% of all natural disaster victims lived in Asia and Africa (np.)." Lindell and Prater (2003) provide additional statistics and explain that low-income countries suffer approximately 3,000 deaths per disaster, while high-income countries suffer approximately 500 deaths per disaster. According to the book; The Impacts of Natural Disasters: A Framework for Loss Estimation (1999), the environmental impacts of natural disasters are relatively brief and many long-term natural disasters may even be beneficial (Appendix A: Environmental Impacts of Natural Disasters, 1999). Laframboise, MN and Loko, MB (2012) explain that the di...... middle of paper ......0.3201/eid2003.131230Laframboise, MN and Loko, MB (2012). Natural disasters: mitigating the impact, managing the risks (n° 12-245). Andrews McMeel Publishing. Lindell, MK and Prater, CS (2003). Assessment of community impacts of natural disasters. Natural Hazards Review, 4(4), 176-185. Malilay, J., Batts, D., Ansari, A., Miller, C.W., & Brown, C.M. (2013). Natural disasters and environmental risks. Retrieved from: http://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/yellowbook/2014/chapter-2-the-pre-travel-consultation/natural-disasters-and-environmental-hazardsNoji, EK (ed.). (1997). The consequences of disasters on public health. Oxford University Press. Noji, E.K. (2005). Public health issues during disasters. Intensive Care Medicine, 33(1), S29-S33. Watson, J.T., Gayer, M., & Connolly, M.A. (2007). Epidemics after natural disasters. Emerging infectious diseases, 13(1), 1-5.