nutrition and earthquakes

Christian OkonyePHSC 110Fred Heck

Nutrition and earthquakes: experience and recommendations

Key Question: The extent of harm caused by earthquakes is determined by the timescale and

how the community handles such a disaster. In addition, what are the odds of earthquakes greatly

affecting the health status, and availability of water, food, shelter, and health supplies to victims

and if a system is set up for provision of victim’s needs?

Key information (facts, experiences, and data): For proper care of victims, there is a necessity to

set up a system/organization whom shall take responsibility to distribute aid supplies. First off,

victims are to be divided into two groups of high priority and mid-high priority where those of

the high priority groups are infants, pregnant women, and the severely injured. The mid-high

priority group is individuals who only lost their location of living, workplace, and mainly the less

injured folks. Although every victim is in need of some kind of aid and support in such a time of

crisis so before aid supplies are distributed to home shelter, victims should try the best to secure

water and food within their reach. However, when such a disaster takes place; some victims

could stray from survival via foods and water due to lack of an appetite to sustain their energy

because of the great harm caused to their families and properties. As a result, dehydration and

impairment to health is triggered.

In developed nations, earthquakes destroy water-supply infrastructures buried beneath earth’s

surface causing fractured water and sewer line dwindles, so the water coming through is not fit

for consumption. While in underdeveloped countries, there aren’t much infrastructural problems

but fissures that open the earth can affect water tables.


It’s been reported that people’s blood sugar and blood pressure levels worsen at times of natural

disasters, but also reported is that those who are able to control their food intake at emergency

shelters have a better chance of gaining good blood sugar control. Therefore, it’s a necessity for

nutritional intake to be proactively supplemented even in non-emergency periods since poor

nutritional status leads to higher morbidity and decreased immunity from diseases such diarrhea,

malaria or tuberculosis. Also for the fact that symptoms of such diseases may prove difficult to

notice, nutritional intervention and proper medical care should be provided or seek.

Conclusions: After an earthquake, a nutrition program should ensure adequate food and supply

for the entire population affected. Emergency feeding should not only satisfy hunger but also

consider the main nutritional needs for different age groups and their conditions, if not

malnutrition might occur thus leading to morbidity.

Earth System spheres: The article relates to both hydrosphere, atmosphere and biosphere in

the sense that, interaction between earthquakes and hydrosphere results in changes of rivers

and stream (expansion and contraction of the aquifer) which is responsible for damages of

constructions, forest and flooding. Atmospheric effects caused by earthquakes are mainly gas

emissions such as methane into the atmosphere, which degrades the ozone layer. Lastly the

death of people, plant life, animals and ecosystem disruption is how it relates to the biosphere.


Reflect: Personally, I have gained a very useful knowledge on how not only people are victimized by earthquakes but how it affects their nutritional balance and what steps can be taken to ensure safe health and well-being of these victims in times like these.

nutrition and earthquakes

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