Nature's Fury Makes South Most Dangerous Area in U.S.

Related Encyclopedia • Alzheimer's Disease • Animal Bites • Anterior Cruciate Ligament Repair • Arthritis More... Related Healthscout Videos Custom Ankle Replacements Custom Ankle Replacements Shutting Down Tremor. Disaster Heart Attacks More... Related Animations • Alzheimer's Disease Video Animation • Erectile Dysfunction • What is a Heart Attack? More... Related Drug Information • Actonel • Coumadin • Detrol LA • Ditropan XL More... Related News Articles • Many Stroke Survivors Don't Take Lifesaving Meds • Early Treatment of Hearing, Vision Helps in Schizophrenia • Menopause Often Means Worsening Cholesterol • Blood Thinner Combos Risky for Heart Attack Patients More...

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2

Cutter and Borden found that, overall, extreme heat remains the leading cause of deaths due to natural hazards in the United States, amounting to nearly 20 percent of total mortality. Ranked by seasons, severe summer weather accounted for 18.8 of deaths, while winter cold accounted for 18.1 percent of deaths, the report found.

More dramatic events -- such as earthquakes, wildfires and hurricanes -- may grab headlines, but lumped together, they accounted for only 5 percent of hazard-related deaths, Cutter noted.

In fact, deaths from hurricanes and earthquakes continue to go down, the researcher said. However, Cutter noted that "there are still quite a number of fatalities from storm surges -- people just don't understand the role of water and surging tide."

Text Continues Below

---

The United States actually fares much better from natural hazards than other areas of the world, where events such as earthquakes, floods and tidal waves can prove catastrophic. Cutter believes this disparity is the result of the U.S. being better prepared for these calamities. In addition to overall preparedness, building codes in the U.S. take into account threats from earthquakes and wind, she noted.

But there's always room for improvement, said Dr. David L. Katz, director of the Prevention Research Center at Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Conn.

"Some environments are more hazard-prone than others, as the constellations of dark red patches in the South and Midwest suggest," Katz said. "It may be that those who can afford to live in less hazard-prone environments do so," he said.

The map's useful display of the distribution of hazards is an invitation to action, Katz said. "We have the opportunity to learn the lessons of hazards past, and avoid the folly of waiting passively for them to recur," he said.

More information

Here's a look at the color-coded U.S. Death Map.

Page:  << Prev | 1 | 2