Harvey flooding brings new health risks
Mold, toxins among hazards for people returning to homes
Residents of Harris County, Texas, returning to an estimated 156,000 homes flooded by Harvey face dangers from mold, electrical hazards and deadly fumes and toxins in the receding water.
More than 440,000 people have applied for financial assistance, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Friday. An estimated 156,000 dwellings in Harris County — more than 10 percent of all structures — were damaged by flooding, according to the flood control district.
“We’re going to miss this place,” Silvia Casas said as she and her family surveyed the destruction in their neighborhood near Crosby.
Inside her house, a pile of furniture and splintered belongings sat in the middle of the floor.
Dangers remain as the water recedes.
Mold can cause coughing and asthma attacks when spores are inhaled, making it dangerous for people with chronic breathing conditions.
Mold could start growing a day or two after flooding from the hurricane that arrived Aug. 25, more than a week ago.
Experts urge residents to dry out their homes as soon as possible. Waterlogged material such as carpet and drywall must be removed. Hard surfaces should be disinfected by scrubbing with a cup of bleach in every gallon of water.
“That little spot of mold can grow in the home especially in the heat of the South,” said Parham Jaberi of the Louisiana Department of Health.
But this advice could be difficult in parts of Houston that are expected to remain flooded for two weeks, as Harris County releases water from the Addicks Reservoir.
Sagging ceilings, slippery floors and rough edges of debris each represent threats of wounds from cuts or punctures.
The Texas Department of State Health Services is urging tetanus shots for anyone who hasn’t had one in 10 years.