Risks can come in stages during a weather emergency.
Such issues are rising in Puerto Rico.
About 90% of the island is without power, according to a report this week.
There’s also expressed concern for damages to Puerto Rico’s manufacturing service.
He also noted leptospirosis, a bacterial condition spread through infected animal urine which has now been diagnosed in 10 Puerto Rico patients, and is responsible for 4 deaths.
The disease is commonly associated with flooding events in warm climates, Zahn said, and people without access to safe drinking water are at great risk.
"People are concerned with mosquito-borne illnesses,” Zahn said.
Zahn agreed with the notion that residents outside of affected sites may misinterpret the priority of donated supplies — that they may not realize bottles of water, packaged food, and other essential materials are necessary to avoid health disasters. Like the stages of risks following disaster, getting these supplies is one of the stages to recovery.