Natural Hazards "Death Maps"

Update...

The GoV-log: Editor's Video Blog recently posted a video version of this article. We thought it was worth an update. VIEW

Originally posted 12/16/2008...

A map of natural hazard mortality in the United States has been produced. The map, featured in BioMed Central's open access International Journal of Health Geographics, gives a county-level representation of the likelihood of dying as the result of natural events such as floods, earthquakes or extreme weather.

Researchers who compiled the county-by-county look at what natural disasters kill Americans said they hope their study will help emergency preparedness officials plan better. Heat and drought caused 19.6 percent of total deaths from natural hazards, with summer thunderstorms causing 18.8 percent and winter weather causing 18.1 percent, the team at the University of South Carolina found. Earthquakes, wildfires and hurricanes combined were responsible for fewer than 5 percent of all hazard deaths. READ MORE

Spatial patterns of natural hazards mortality in the United States -
> Abstract
> Report, including maps