Climate Change and Your Health

The report details the public health dangers of flooding, including drowning, waterborne diseases, mold-induced respiratory issues, and mental health trauma. It argues that climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and sea-level rise, exacerbating these risks, particularly in areas with combined sewer overflow systems and high-density floodplain development.

• Flash floods are the most lethal type of flood, typically causing 60 to 100 American deaths annually, primarily through drowning. In 2010, nearly half of all flood fatalities occurred when individuals attempted to drive through floodwaters.
• Heavy rainfall is strongly linked to waterborne disease outbreaks in the U.S., with over 50% of such outbreaks occurring after heavy rain. Floodwaters can contain more than 100 types of disease-causing agents, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
• Combined sewer overflow (CSO) systems, which serve approximately 40 million people across 772 U.S. communities, pose a significant health risk because they can discharge raw sewage directly into waterways during extreme rainfall.
• Indoor dampness and mold following floods are linked to severe respiratory issues. Infants and children exposed to mold before age one are 2.8 to 4 times more likely to develop asthma than unexposed peers.
• Flooding causes significant long-term mental health burdens, including depression and PTSD. Following Hurricane Andrew in 1992, 20% to 30% of adults and children met PTSD criteria six months later, with rates remaining largely unchanged two years later.
• Climate change increases flood risk by allowing warmer air to hold more water vapor, leading to more intense downpours. Heavy precipitation events in the U.S. have increased by more than 30% since 1900.
• Sea-level rise, projected to increase between 0.18 and 0.59 meters by the end of the century (with some plausible estimates reaching 2 meters), increases the land area affected by storm surges during intense storms.
• Human development patterns increase vulnerability; the U.S. population living in coastlines and floodplains has grown twice as fast as the general population, and 53% of U.S. residents live in coastal counties susceptible to flooding.

APA

Perera, E. M., Sanford, T., & Cleetus, R. (2012). Climate Change and Your Health. Union of Concerned Scientists. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-change-and-flooding.pdf

Chicago

Perera, Elizabeth Martin, Todd Sanford, and Rachel Cleetus. Climate Change and Your Health. Union of Concerned Scientists, 2012. https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-change-and-flooding.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Perera |first1=Elizabeth Martin |last2=Sanford |first2=Todd |last3=Cleetus |first3=Rachel |title=Climate Change and Your Health |publisher=Union of Concerned Scientists |date=March 2012 |url=https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-change-and-flooding.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{perera2012climate, author = {Perera, Elizabeth Martin and Sanford, Todd and Cleetus, Rachel}, title = {{Climate Change and Your Health}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2012}, month = mar, url = {https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2019-10/climate-change-and-flooding.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }