Monsoon storms can threaten your health

Monsoon storms bring heavy rain, flash floods, and dust storms. They also produce health risks.

“Monsoon storms can come without a lot of warning, they can be dangerous, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself,” said Dr. Cara Christ, director for the Arizona Department of Health Services.

High winds and large dust clouds during monsoon storms can affect air quality, resulting in eye and skin irritation. It can also increase the severity of an asthma attack, cause or aggravate bronchitis and reduce the body’s ability to fight infections.

Christ recommends staying indoors during the storms or covering your nose and mouth if you need to go outside.

She also recommends staying away from flood water left behind by monsoon storms.

“You’re going to want to keep kids from playing in flood water because sometimes that can contain sewage or contaminated water,” Christ said.

If you’re driving and encounter a thunderstorm with heavy rainfall, don’t drive through flooded areas and take extra precautions, such as avoiding sudden braking.

Also, don’t leave standing water around your home. It can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which can carry West Nile virus and St. Louis Encephalitis virus.

“You want to make sure you’re minimizing that by dumping things out that can hold water and making sure that you’re cleaning those out so that any eggs that are in it can be killed,” Christ said.

Monsoon storms can cause power to go out, leaving you without air conditioning. Christ said there are cooling stations throughout the Valley that provide refuge from the heat.

She added it’s important to check in on family members and friends, especially the elderly, to ensure they know what to do if they’re power goes out.

The Arizona Department of Health Services lists these and other health safety tips in a monsoon safety page launched last week.

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