Public Health and Medical Consequences in Earthquakes

Over the past few decades, the incidence and magnitude of natural disasters includingearthquakes has grown significantly, resulting in substantial economic damages and affectingor killing millions of people. Worldwide, more than one million earthquakes occur each yearglobally, an average of about two every minute (1). The impact of the predicted highermagnitude earthquakes could potentially kill and injure thousands of people, result in billions ofdollars in property loss, and cause severe disruptions to the economy (2). Despite of achievinga remarkable scientific progress in earthquake engineering during the past several years,achieving a high standard of health and safety against earthquakes is still a challenge for bothdeveloping and developed countries.

Keywords:

earthquake , injuries , mortality , prevention and control