Floodwaters like the one that submerged much of San Diego County on Monday push urban waterways over their banks, carrying conglomerates of potentially harmful bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella into neighborhoods.
Inches of rain fell in just a few hours from the state line to North County, not only closing roads and even highways, but enough water to build up on homes and, in some cases, pull people out. I needed a boat. They were stranded on the roofs of houses and cars and evacuated to safe areas.
Having an area normally confined to a river bed or stream suddenly on your property allows water to seep into hidden spaces within wall cavities, providing perfect conditions for mold to grow. Sometimes the water itself only increases the damage it does.
This is a real public health problem, and local officials say they are doing everything they can to catch flood-related infections early.
Dr. Wilma Wooten, San Diego County's public health officer, said Friday that routine analyzes of patients presenting to local emergency departments have so far detected no increase in symptoms such as diarrhea, indicating a surge in flood-related illnesses. He said he did not. But it's early.
“If you look at the past three days, what we're seeing (in the emergency department) is not higher than what we typically see at this time of year,” Wooten said.
Wooten said the incubation period for salmonella is 12 to 72 hours, meaning people who swallowed contaminated flood water on Monday or Tuesday should already have started showing symptoms. Another pathogen of serious concern is E. coli, which has an incubation period of 3 to 5 days, so flood-related cases could start to appear as the weekend approaches.
But Naresh Kumar, an environmental health scientist at the University of Miami, explains that the risk of health damage after severe flooding only increases as recovery efforts continue.
“Bacteria levels are relatively low when water is flowing, but the problem occurs when water is standing,” Kumar says. “Flood water contains not only bacteria, but also many other nutrients. When the water is still, those nutrients become food for the bacteria to multiply.”
Because of this, the risk of walking through a flooded home a day or two after a flood may be significantly less than a week later, he said.
The longer you stay away from the storm, the more you will need to wear tall boots, gloves, and a mask.
The mold clock is still ticking even after the floods, said Kumar, who has received a research grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to study the health effects of Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida in 2022. he added.
He said research shows that temperature plays an important role in how long it takes for mold to start growing on wet building materials.
“If the outside temperature is around 70 degrees, it usually takes less than seven days for mold to start growing on walls, furniture, clothing, drywall, etc. that have been exposed to water,” Kumar says.
He added that while it is best to open walls and start ventilating flooded buildings as much as possible, continuing to live in homes that take a long time to dry may be dangerous.
Therefore, the health effects of flooding are most severe on those with the least resources, such as individuals and families who cannot afford to hire restoration companies to do the work quickly and safely with the promise of eventual insurance payout. tend to give.
A recent tragic example of what can happen when a person with a chronic health condition has no choice but to continue living in a home that has started to grow mold.
The state of Florida mourned the death of 26-year-old Christian Childers, who died in January 2023 after his asthma worsened after living in a moldy home after Hurricane Ian.
“For many people who cannot evacuate and rent their homes, the landlord typically takes care of their own safety first,” Kumar said.
Could local governments do more to help people of more modest means escape homes that are at high risk of mold?
“Those discussions are happening as we speak,” Wooten said. “We hope to hear more about these efforts at future board meetings, but we have nothing specific to share at this time.”
The county announced this week that it will take a more active role in helping individuals recover from flood damage.
The assistance center announced this week is scheduled to open on Sunday, and county road crews, who have already been working all week to help homeowners remove flood debris from their properties, were hired on Monday. It will be replenished by a contractor.
Residents needing assistance with flood-related recovery should call 2-1-1.
