Estimation of potential epidemic risk in the landslide zone based on physical factors in the Sillapa district

Abstract

Almost 17% of causes of death due to natural hazards are the product of landslides. Most of them occur in the most deprived places of less developed countries, coexisting a lethal combination of factors that point to this type of tragedies: the natural and the human factor. On the other hand, after a disaster, health care needs and priorities may change; in this sense, the food security of refugees, the supply of drinking water, the disposal of excreta and solid waste, the need for shelters, attention to personal hygiene needs, vector control, attention to injuries after the cleanup activities and the conduct of public health surveillance becomes a priority. To mitigate the disruption, public health authorities must act promptly to avert the adverse effects of the disaster, prevent further damage, and restore public service delivery as soon as possible. In this sense, public health surveillance, epidemiology, can identify local problems and establish priorities for decision-making in the health area. In this article, mention is made of one of the most alarming events that occurred in Sillapata, Peru, where a level 4 landslide affected the infrastructure of the population. Considering an established statistical model, it is possible to predict the zoning of higher risks, and thus establish the most appropriate territorial planning and epidemiological surveillance when similar events reach this population or other populations of the Peruvian State.