Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Volcanic Ash Hazards to Health


Volcanic Ash Hazards to Health - Volcanic ash by the eruption of Mount Merapi continues to fly to different areas around the volcano. Communities should be aware of this because ash can damage the health of respiratory, eye, and skin.

Once erupted on Tuesday (26/10) and then, the eruption of Mount Merapi aftershocks continue to occur. Saturday (30/10) evening, again the most active volcano in the world issued a cloud of heat. Followed by the next eruption on Monday (1/11). Not only the victims of property and lives, the eruption of Mount Merapi, also have negative impacts on health.


Volcanic ash from Mount Merapi on the wind in any direction up to a lot of dangerous people around, especially on health. Volcanic ash is often called sand is volcanic or pyroclastic fallout fallout of volcanic materials are ejected into the air during the eruption.

It is said by experts from the lung health "Alam Sutera Omni Hospital Tangerang", Dr. Iskandar Thahri SPP, in principle, when the eruption occurred, various kinds of rocks removed. "The content contained in volcanic ash is very varied," said the doctor graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, UB this.

Thahri say, if divided, then the content of the volcanic ash is composed of sand and rocks, the eruption products such as sulfur, are also a lot of hot clouds called wedhus trash. "Everything is very influential on health, particularly the lungs," he said.

Still described Thahri, while attacking the respiratory, effects that occur can vary. For example, when attacking the people who were previously healthy, it depends how much dust was attacking someone. "The position also determines how much ash into our breathing," he said.

Still described Thahri, while attacking the respiratory, effects that occur can vary. For example, when attacking the people who were previously healthy, it depends how much dust was attacking someone. "The position also determines how much ash into our breathing," he said.

Well, if the position of someone close to the volcanic ash which is then entered into the respiratory quite a lot, then it could make the airways swell because of the effects of heat. What happened, could have shortness of breath, even life-threatening.

If the cloud rises into the sky which then form a cloud of hot, then it could be caused acid rain which also endangers the health or the environment. The content of toxins in the hot clouds had to reduce soil fertility and death to animals. "However, if someone is in a position that far, automatic impact on health would be reduced or milder symptoms," he said.

Unlike the case with individuals who have lung problems, such as in patients with asthma, for example. Generally, the person who has a history of asthma, it will asmanya recurrence. "Volcanic Ash is one of the causes of asthma attacks," he said.

We all know that asthma is a disease that occurs continuously in character that usually occurs when there is pencetusnya. In this case, volcanic ash into a powerful trigger of asthma that occurs in patients with asthma who are normally the nipple can appear at any time when exposed to volcanic ash.

In addition to asthma, the volcanic ash also very dangerous for someone who already suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or disease caused a toxic gas or smoke and dangerous.

In Indonesia, known as gas or smoke the most dangerous is secondhand smoke, even the disease is referred to as a disease of cigarette smoke because of the dominance that is too large by cigarette smoke that cause the disease appear. More and more exposed to smoke, the higher the risk.

"Normal people just if exposed to strong enough so affected in his health. Especially people with a history of previous respiratory disease, "said Thahir.

Especially for children who are exposed to volcanic ash, they will be more sensitive than adults because of breathing in children are in growth. For example, if a child is spending too sweet, they will be faster cough being too sensitive on the food it consumes. For people who already have lung disease earlier, so no complaints, call the experts lung immediately.

1 comment:

  1. Great information. I would like to say thank you for sharing this post. Get to know about the best diagnostic medical imaging services in Kerala.

    ReplyDelete