<!doctype html><!--[if lt IE 7]>
<html class="lt-ie9 lt-ie8 lt-ie7 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 7]>
<html class="lt-ie9 lt-ie8 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 8]>
<html class="lt-ie9 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if IE 9]>
<html class="ie9 no-js" lang="en">
<![endif]--><!--[if gt IE 9]><!-->
<html class="no-js" lang="en">
<!--<![endif]-->
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=edge" />
  <meta name="description" content="From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. ">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <meta property="fb:app_id" content="10150138890205613"/>
  <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/">
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="155869377766434" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="114288853688" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="273864989376427" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="25987609066" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="103708747870" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="117112876419" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="493352494017633" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="143109582453645" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="153005644864469" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="598356233569407" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="62499551911" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="90692553761" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="108546889203630" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="154957517930371" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="114945745226947" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="164878620263509" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="219012311450917" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="280920811923248" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="358279854182174" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="809948162383434" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="864302923644949" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="868876563129583" />
  <meta property="fb:pages" content="1508175089456029" />
  <meta property="og:site_name" content="NBC News"/>
  <meta property="og:description" content="From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. "/>
  <meta property="og:title" content="The floodwaters are only the beginning of the problem"/>
  <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591"/>
  <meta property="og:type" content="article"/>
  <meta property="og:image" content="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2138271/170830-harvey-storm-ac-502p_e63a5602b4d8071d39be2de09360e201.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg"/>
  <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" />
  <meta name="twitter:site" content="NBCNews"/>
  <meta name="twitter:title" content="The floodwaters are only the beginning of the problem"/>
  <meta name="twitter:description" content="From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. "/>
  <meta name="twitter:creator" content="NBCNews"/>
  <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2138271/170830-harvey-storm-ac-502p_e63a5602b4d8071d39be2de09360e201.nbcnews-fp-1024-512.jpg"/>
  <link rel="alternate" href="android-app://com.zumobi.msnbc/http/www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591"/>
  <meta name="apple-itunes-app" content="app-id=319740707, app-argument=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591">
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="dMf4cxtcxKlWchKvPlULwDZi8XpI9-ARqe8j2mGmi4Y"/>
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="K8bowvEbzWfPQ76x6f9SCxMVwicVXrhiClRg80ak8ZA" />
  <meta name="google-site-verification" content="G4SGIUDh2TcgDVNjuleQ-Humwb3JAZaQD9Vg42Stfn8" />
  
  <meta name="news_keywords" content="News,U.S. news,Health news"/>
  <link rel="amphtml" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/amp/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591" />
    <link rel="next" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291">
    <meta property="article:author" content="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Fox/262695730411456"/>
  
    <meta name="DC.date.issued" content="2017-08-31">
    <meta name="published" content="2017-08-31T23:01:59.000Z"/>
    <title>The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane - NBC News</title>
    <script type="application/ld+json">
     {
          "@context": "https://schema.org/",
          "@type": "Organization",
          "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com",
          "logo": {
                  "@type": "ImageObject",
                  "url": "https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/site-images/nbcnews-logo-white.png",
                  "width": 166,
                  "height": 24
          },
          "sameAs": [
                    "https://twitter.com/NBCNews",
                    "https://www.facebook.com/NBCNews",
                    "https://plus.google.com/+NBCnews",
                    "https://www.instagram.com/nbcnews",
                    "https://www.youtube.com/nbcnews"
                    ]
     }
    </script>
    <script type="application/ld+json">
          {
            "@context" :{
                "@vocab": "https://schema.org",
                "articleId": {
                    "@id": "Text",
                    "@type": "@id"
                }
            },
            "@type": "NewsArticle",
            "headline": "The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane",
            "url": "https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591",
            "thumbnailUrl": "https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2138271/170830-harvey-storm-ac-502p_e63a5602b4d8071d39be2de09360e201.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg",
            "creator": "Maggie Fox",
            "alternativeHeadline": "",
            "dateCreated": "2017-08-31T23:01:59.000Z",
            "datePublished": "2017-08-31T23:01:59.000Z",
            "dateModified": "2017-08-31T23:02:01.000Z",
            "articleSection":"news",
            "articleId":"797591",
            "name": "The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane",
            "speakable": {
              "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
              "cssSelector": [".article-hed h1", ".article-body p:first-child"]
            },
            "image": {
              "@type": "ImageObject",
              "url": "https://media1.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2017_35/2138271/170830-harvey-storm-ac-502p_e63a5602b4d8071d39be2de09360e201.nbcnews-fp-1200-630.jpg",
              "width": 1200,
              "height": 800
            },
            "author": [
              {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Maggie Fox"
              }
            ],
            "publisher": {
              "@type": "Organization",
              "name": "NBC News",
              "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/site-images/nbcnews-logo-white.png",
                "width": 166,
                "height": 24
              }
            },
            "description": "From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. ",
            "mainEntityOfPage": {
              "@type": "WebPage",
              "@id": "https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591"
            }
          }
    </script>
  <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591"/>
  <link rel="shortcut icon" href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/31533d28.favicon.ico"/>
    <link href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/main-c6773045bf.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    
    <noscript>
        <link href="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
        <link href="https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css" rel="stylesheet">
    </noscript>
    
    <!--[if lt IE 9]>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="/localassets/styles/main.css">
    <script src="//cdn.jsdelivr.net/respond/1.4.2/respond.min.js"></script>
    <![endif]-->

  
  <noscript>
    <style type="text/css">
      html body .no-js-show{ display: block !important;}
      html body .no-js-hide{ display: none !important;}
    </style>
  </noscript>
  <!--[if lt IE 9]>
  <script src="https://html5shiv.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/html5.js"></script><![endif]-->
  <meta name="blitz" content="mu-e1e842c9-946002e6-ea8f0454-41b29546">
    <script>
      // Picture element HTML5 shiv
      document.createElement( "picture" );
    </script>
    <script>
        function getCookie(cname) {var name = cname + "="; var ca = document.cookie.split(';'); for(var i=0; i<ca.length; i++) {var c = ca[i];while (c.charAt(0)==' ') c = c.substring(1);if (c.indexOf(name) == 0) return c.substring(name.length,c.length);}return "";}
        function loadCSS(e,n,o,t){"use strict";var d=window.document.createElement("link"),i=n||window.document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0],s=window.document.styleSheets;return d.rel="stylesheet",d.href=e,d.media="only x",t&&(d.onload=t),i.parentNode.insertBefore(d,i),d.onloadcssdefined=function(n){for(var o,t=0;t<s.length;t++)s[t].href&&s[t].href.indexOf(e)>-1&&(o=!0);o?n():setTimeout(function(){d.onloadcssdefined(n)})},d.onloadcssdefined(function(){d.media=o||"all"}),d}

        if(getCookie('fonts_cached')){
            loadCSS('https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css');
            loadCSS('https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css');
        }
    </script>
</head>
<body id="top" class="article hurricane-harvey" data-routename="article" data-taxonomy="hurricane-harvey">

<!--[if lt IE 10]><p class="browsehappy">You are using an
  <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please
  <a href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience.
</p><![endif]-->
<header class="grid_default" role="banner">
      <div class="breaking-banner">
        <div class="container-gutter">
          <div class="container">
            <div class="row">
              <div class="col-xs-12">
                <div class="breaking-banner_item">
                  <div class="is-breaking">
                    <div class="breaking-banner_txt">
                            <p><a href="http://stream.nbcolympics.com/2018-winter-olympics-primetime-show-feb-12-standard?cid=eref:nbcnews:text">WATCH OLYMPICS LIVE: Men's slalom</a></p> 
                                        </div>
                    <div class="breaking-banner_sub-item">
                      <a href="https://secure.nbcnews.com/_tps/_accounts/msnbc/newsletters">Get Alerts
                        <i class="fa fa-envelope" aria-hidden="true"></i></a>
                    </div>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    <div class="js-site-header header-group">
      <div class="slim-white-site-header">
          <div class="container-gutter">
              <div class="container">
                  <div class="row">
                      <div class="col-lg-10">
                          <a class="slim-white-site-header__site-logo inline-block" href="/"><svg viewBox="0 0 166 24" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" fill-rule="evenodd" clip-rule="evenodd">
          <path d="M43.307 2.132l12.616 12.01v-11.247h4.082v20.834l-12.59-12.248v11.563h-4.108v-20.913zM66.59 14.458h3.74c.843.026 2.397.869 2.397 2.634 0 1.817-1.58 2.607-2.502 2.686h-3.635v-5.321zm-4.161 8.56h9.798c2.317 0 5.03-2.265 5.03-5.347 0-3.161-2.054-4.715-3.397-5.347 0 0 2.476-1.396 2.37-4.398-.132-4.03-3.872-5.031-5.189-5.031h-8.612v20.122zm4.135-16.751h3.055c1.028.079 2.265.87 2.265 2.292 0 1.343-.948 2.292-2.186 2.45h-3.134v-4.741zM92.691 7.058c-4.32-2.871-10.167.053-10.535 5.373-.158 6.453 6.216 9.113 10.535 6.321v4.135c-7.638 2.845-14.645-2.529-14.67-10.324.026-6.612 7.322-12.458 14.67-9.535v4.03zM98.047 2.132l12.615 12.01v-11.247h4.083v20.834l-12.59-12.248v11.563h-4.109v-20.913zM120.751 6.399v4.688h6.558v3.556h-6.558v4.82h6.558v3.555h-10.667v-20.122h10.667v3.503h-6.558zM132.313 2.896l5.321 11.8 1.896-4.24-3.556-7.559h4.188l1.317 3.134 1.264-3.134h4.109l-3.398 7.533 1.897 4.267 5.083-11.8h4.504l-9.219 20.912-4.135-8.876-4.109 8.902-9.481-20.939h4.319zM160.442 2.343c.369 0 2.292.105 4.136 1.212v3.925c-1.08-.685-2.503-1.607-3.872-1.607-1.66 0-2.713 1.238-2.713 2.37 0 2.871 8.007 2.608 8.007 8.955 0 2.107-1.502 6.453-6.796 6.453-.105 0-1.738.158-4.583-1.317v-4.372c1.581 1.712 3.556 2.159 4.32 2.159 1.712 0 2.95-1.342 2.95-2.975 0-3.135-7.796-2.555-7.796-8.903 0-3.45 2.95-5.9 6.347-5.9"
                 fill="#000"/>
          <path d="M11.622 8.567l5.466 12.499-11.276-7.721c-2.829-1.873-2.255-5.084-.688-6.498 2.217-1.873 5.35-1.223 6.497 1.72"
                fill="#f47a3f"/>
          <path d="M19.16 5.623l-1.988 13.99-5.657-13.302c-1.223-3.326 1.529-5.504 3.364-5.542 2.102-.229 4.74 1.376 4.281 4.854"
                fill="#ce1041"/>
          <path d="M27.76 6.274l-5.619 13.34-1.797-12.04c-.152-1.834.994-1.873 1.414-2.217l-.65-.268h-1.071c-.114-3.134 2.332-4.51 4.32-4.358 2.141.076 4.548 2.561 3.402 5.542"
                fill="#7d77b8"/>
          <path d="M33.493 13.269l-11.276 7.759 5.313-12.346c1.606-3.9 5.352-3.135 6.689-1.644 1.452 1.453 1.873 4.396-.726 6.231"
                fill="#0279b7"/>
          <path d="M34.678 22.404h-13.034l10.587-7.377c2.6-1.72 5.351-.153 6.078 2.102.765 2.522-.956 5.274-3.631 5.274"
                fill="#62bc46"/>
          <path d="M.927 16.976c.994-2.599 3.746-3.517 6.193-1.949l10.588 7.377h-12.843c-2.676 0-4.778-2.446-3.938-5.427"
                fill="#fdb912"/>
      </svg>
      </a>
                          <button class="js-toggle btn btn_alt btn_md btn_site-menu inline-block" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-open", "selector":".dropdown_site-nav", "activeTarget":true}'>Sections<i class="fa fa-chevron-down" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="fa fa-chevron-up" aria-hidden="true"></i></button>
                          <ul class="nav-bar hidden-xs inline-block">
                              <li><a href="/nightly-news"> Nightly News</a></li>
                              <li class="hidden-sm"><a href="http://www.msnbc.com" target="blank">MSNBC</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/meet-the-press"> Meet the Press</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/dateline"> Dateline</a></li>
                              <li class="hidden-sm"><a href="https://www.today.com" target="blank"><span class="today-sun-logo"><img width="20" height="10" alt="TODAY" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/today-logo-site-nav.png"></span>Today</a></li>
                          </ul>
                          <div role="search" class="search site-header-item inline-block">
                              <ul class="nav-bar">
                                  <li><a class="js-toggle search_toggle btn_txt" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/pages/search" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-open", "selector":".search_input", "activeTarget":true, "preventDefault":true}'><i class="fa fa-search" aria-hidden="true"></i><i class="fa fa-times" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Search</span></a></li>
                              </ul>
                              <div class="search_input">
                                  <form action="/pages/search/" id="search-form">
                                      <label for="q" id="search_label">
                                          <span class="screen-reader-txt">Search</span>
                                      </label>
                                      <input class="form_control" aria-labelledby="search_label" id="q" required name="q" type="search" placeholder="Search" autofocus/>
                                      <input type="submit" value="Search" class="screen-reader-txt"/>
                                  </form>
                              </div>
                          </div>
                      </div>
                      <div class="visible-lg-block col-lg-2">
                          <ul class="datapoints__share">
                              <li>
                                  <a class="js-sharethis" href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fstoryline%2Fhurricane-harvey%2Funexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591" target="_blank" title="Share on Facebook">
                                    <svg version="1.1" x="0" y="0" viewBox="0 0 20 20" enable-background="new 0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                      <desc>Share on Facebook</desc>
                                      <path d="M17 1H3C1.9 1 1 1.9 1 3v14c0 1.1 0.9 2 2 2h7v-7H8V9.53h2V7.48c0-2.16 1.21-3.68 3.77-3.68l1.8 0v2.61h-1.2C13.38 6.4 13 7.14 13 7.84v1.69h2.57L15 12h-2v7h4c1.1 0 2-0.9 2-2V3C19 1.9 18.1 1 17 1z"></path>
                                    </svg>
                                  </a>
                              </li>
                              <li>
                                  <a class="js-sharethis" href="https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The%20Unexpected%20Health%20Impacts%20of%20a%20Hurricane&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbcnews.com%2Fstoryline%2Fhurricane-harvey%2Funexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591&via=nbcnews" target="_blank" title="Tweet">
                                    <svg version="1.1" x="0px" y="0px" viewBox="0 0 20 20" enable-background="new 0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                      <desc>Share on Twitter</desc>
                                      <path d="M17.316 6.246c0.008 0.2 0 0.3 0 0.488c0 4.99-3.797 10.742-10.74 10.742c-2.133 0-4.116-0.625-5.787-1.697 c0.296 0 0.6 0.1 0.9 0.053c1.77 0 3.397-0.604 4.688-1.615c-1.651-0.031-3.046-1.121-3.526-2.621 c0.23 0 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.066c0.345 0 0.679-0.045 0.995-0.131c-1.727-0.348-3.028-1.873-3.028-3.703c0-0.016 0-0.031 0-0.047 c0.509 0.3 1.1 0.5 1.7 0.473c-1.013-0.678-1.68-1.832-1.68-3.143c0-0.691 0.186-1.34 0.512-1.898 C3.942 5.5 6.7 7 9.9 7.158C9.798 6.9 9.8 6.6 9.8 6.297c0-2.084 1.689-3.773 3.774-3.773 c1.086 0 2.1 0.5 2.8 1.191c0.859-0.17 1.667-0.484 2.397-0.916c-0.282 0.881-0.881 1.621-1.66 2.1 c0.764-0.092 1.49-0.293 2.168-0.594C18.694 5.1 18.1 5.7 17.3 6.246z"></path>
                                    </svg>
                                  </a>
                              </li>
                              <li>
                                <a href="https://secure.nbcnews.com/_tps/accounts/newsletters"target="_blank" title="Email">
                                  <svg version="1.1" x="0" y="0" viewBox="0 0 20 20" xml:space="preserve">
                                    <desc>Email page link</desc>
                                    <path d="M1.57 5.29c0.49 0.26 7.25 3.89 7.5 4.03C9.33 9.45 9.65 9.51 9.98 9.51c0.33 0 0.65-0.06 0.91-0.2s7.01-3.77 7.5-4.03C18.88 5.02 19.34 4 18.44 4H1.52C0.62 4 1.09 5.02 1.57 5.29zM18.61 7.49c-0.56 0.29-7.39 3.85-7.73 4.03s-0.58 0.2-0.91 0.2 -0.57-0.02-0.91-0.2S1.94 7.78 1.39 7.49C1 7.28 1 7.52 1 7.71S1 15 1 15c0 0.42 0.57 1 1 1h16c0.43 0 1-0.58 1-1 0 0 0-7.11 0-7.29S19 7.29 18.61 7.49z"></path>
                                  </svg>
                                </a>
                              </li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                  </div>
              </div>
              <nav class="dropdown dropdown_site-nav" role="navigation" aria-label="Secondary">
                  <h3 class="screen-reader-txt">Secondary Navigation</h3>
                  <div class="container">
                      <div class="row">
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Sections</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href='/news/us-news'>U.S.</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/politics">Politics</a></li>
                              <li><a href='/news/world'>World</a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-localaffiliate" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/nbc-affiliates-n19981">Local</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/business">Business</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/health">Health</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/investigations">Investigations</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/pop-culture/lifestyle">Lifestyle</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/pop-culture">Pop Culture</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/science">Science</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/tech">Tech</a></li>
                              <li><a href='https://www.nbcsports.com' target="blank">Sports</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/weather">Weather</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4 col">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                      
                            <h4 class="item-heading">TV</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/nightly-news">Nightly News</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/meet-the-press">Meet The Press</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/dateline">Dateline</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://today.com/" target="blank">Today</a></li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Featured</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/think">Think</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/mach">Mach</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/better">Better</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/leftfield">NBC Left Field</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/asian-america">Asian America</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/latino">Latino</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/nbcblk">NBCBLK</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/feature/nbc-out">NBC Out</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/business/your-business">Your Business</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                        <div class="col-xs-6 col-sm-4">
                          <div class="dropdown_col">
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Top Ongoing</h4>
                            <ul>
                                <li>
                                  <a data-target="#ongoing-01-section" href="/storyline/winter-olympics-2018">Winter Olympics 2018</a>
                                </li>
                                <li>
                                  <a data-target="#ongoing-02-section" href="/storyline/puerto-rico-crisis">Puerto Rico Crisis</a>
                                </li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading">Multimedia</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="/video">Video</a></li>
                              <li><a href="/news/photo">Photo</a></li>
                            </ul>
                            <h4 class="item-heading h3">More From NBC</h4>
                            <ul>
                              <li><a href="https://nbcsports.com/">Sports</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://cnbc.com/">CNBC</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://www.msnbc.com/">MSNBC.com</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://nbc.com/">NBC.com</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn">NBC Learn</a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://recode.net/">Re/Code</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://www.peacockproductions.tv/">Peacock Productions</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://veterans.nbcnews.com/">Next Steps for Vets</a></li>
                              <li><a href="http://parenttoolkit.com/">Parent Toolkit</a></li>
                            </ul>
                          </div>
                        </div>
                      </div>
                  </div>
              </nav>
          </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  <noscript>
    <div class="container-gutter">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-sm-12">
            <div class="align-center alert alert_warning">
              <i class="fa fa-lg fa-exclamation-triangle" aria-hidden="true"></i> NBC News works best with JavaScript turned on
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </noscript>
</header>
<main class="site-content" role="main">
  <a id='js-feedback-btn' class="feedback" href="https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZRY6QHK" target='blank'><i class="fa fa-comment"></i> Feedback</a>
  <div class="ad-container align-center ad-hide">
  <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
  	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
  </div>
  <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg topbanner ad-content_row" data-placement="topbanner"></div>
</div>
<div class="ad-container ad-hide">
  <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
  	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
  </div>
  <div class="ad-content ad-lg ad-min interstitial ad-content_row" data-placement="interstitial"></div>
</div>
<div class="grid_article">
  <div class="container">
    <div class="panel-group_header">
      <div class="row">
        <div class="col-sm-12">
          <div class="panel-group_heading">
              <div class="breadcrumb_container">
                <a class="breadcrumb" href="/storyline">Storyline</a>
                <i class="fa fa-angle-right"></i>
                  <div class="item-heading item-heading_group item-heading_group-lg item-heading_breadcrumb">
                      <a href="/storyline/hurricane-harvey">Hurricane Harvey</a>
                  </div>
              </div>

          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="grid_article">
  <article id="797591" class="article_entry" data-url="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591" data-articletype='post' data-next='' data-mpscat='news|us-news' data-mpspath='/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591' data-mpssectionlist='news|health' data-mpsstorylinelist='hurricane-harvey' data-mpstype='post' data-videodata='{&quot;storyline&quot;:&quot;hurricane-harvey&quot;,&quot;section&quot;:&quot;news&quot;,&quot;topic&quot;:&quot;us-news&quot;}' >




        <div class="article_capsule">
          <div class="container">
            <div class="ad-container ad-hide">
              <div class="ad-content ad-xs mobileinterstitial ad-content_row" data-placement="mobileinterstitial"></div>
            </div>
            <header class="row_article article-header article_max">
              <div class="article-flags">
                <div class="article-flags_container">
                  <div class="flag_article-wrapper">
                <a class="flag flag_article-section" href="/health">Health</a>
              </div>
                 <div class="flag_article-wrapper">
                  <a class="flag flag_storyline flag_article-section" href="/storyline/hurricane-harvey">Hurricane Harvey</a>
                </div>
               
              
                  <div class="flag_article-wrapper flag_article-wrapper-last">
                      <time class="timestamp_article" datetime="2017-08-31T23:01:59.000Z">Aug 31 2017, 7:01 pm ET</time>
                  </div>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article-hed">
                <h1>The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane</h1>
                  <p class="byline_article">
                <span class="byline">
                  <span class="lowercase">by</span> <span class="byline_author">Maggie Fox</span></span>
                </p>
              </div>
            </header>
          </div>
          <div class="container">
            <div class="row_article article_main-container">
              <div class="js-share article_share article_max" aria-label="tools" role="group">
                <ul class="js-sticky social-list social-list_article">
                  <li>
                    <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm social-list_article-title">Share</span>
                  </li>
                  <li>
                    <a class="js-sharearticle facebook" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://nbcnews.to/2esK4Yp">
                      <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Share</span>
                    </a></li>
                  <li>
                    <a class="js-sharearticle twitter" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=The%20floodwaters%20are%20only%20the%20beginning%20of%20the%20problem&url=http://nbcnews.to/2esK4Yp&via=nbcnews">
                      <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Tweet</span>
                    </a></li>
                      <li>
                          <a class="newsvine-comment j_social_seed" style="display: none;" target='_blank' href="https://www.newsvine.com/_api/discuss?u=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591&h=The%20Unexpected%20Health%20Impacts%20of%20a%20Hurricane&t=news&cid=">
                              <svg width="24px" height="16px" viewBox="0 0 44 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">
                                  <g id="newsvine-seed-icon" stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd">
                                      <g id="newsvine-logo" fill="#116600">
                                          <g id="newsvine-seed">
                                              <g>
                                                  <path d="M37.58,0.017 L6.412,0.017 C2.871,0.017 0,2.888 0,6.429 L0,52.594 C0,56.135 2.871,59.005 6.412,59.005 L21.046,59.005 L21.046,47.494 L14.54,42.938 C13.82,43.343 12.998,43.499 12.178,43.352 C11.246,43.185 10.436,42.664 9.896,41.884 C9.354,41.107 9.149,40.161 9.316,39.229 C9.484,38.296 10.006,37.483 10.785,36.944 C11.566,36.403 12.508,36.197 13.439,36.369 C14.369,36.536 15.183,37.055 15.723,37.833 C16.14,38.433 16.359,39.134 16.359,39.853 C16.359,40.048 16.338,40.244 16.307,40.442 L21.046,43.761 L21.046,33.068 L14.537,28.511 C13.82,28.917 12.998,29.072 12.178,28.919 C11.246,28.752 10.436,28.234 9.896,27.456 C9.354,26.677 9.149,25.732 9.316,24.798 C9.664,22.874 11.518,21.589 13.439,21.939 C15.351,22.286 16.625,24.109 16.307,26.016 L21.046,29.334 L21.046,19.324 L14.54,14.765 C13.82,15.171 12.998,15.329 12.178,15.179 C10.252,14.831 8.969,12.981 9.316,11.055 C9.664,9.13 11.518,7.846 13.439,8.199 C14.369,8.363 15.183,8.886 15.723,9.663 C16.14,10.264 16.359,10.965 16.359,11.681 C16.359,11.876 16.338,12.073 16.307,12.268 L21.046,15.591 L21.046,6.316 L24.103,6.316 L24.103,22.728 L28.768,19.458 C28.615,18.54 28.82,17.616 29.347,16.849 C29.889,16.074 30.703,15.551 31.633,15.386 C33.559,15.039 35.408,16.324 35.756,18.247 C36.105,20.171 34.822,22.021 32.895,22.37 C32.074,22.517 31.248,22.359 30.532,21.953 L24.103,26.46 L24.103,36.471 L28.765,33.204 C28.445,31.295 29.725,29.472 31.633,29.127 C33.559,28.78 35.408,30.068 35.756,31.992 C35.926,32.921 35.719,33.866 35.18,34.643 C34.637,35.423 33.826,35.944 32.895,36.112 C32.047,36.265 31.215,36.101 30.519,35.707 L24.103,40.204 L24.103,50.896 L28.768,47.627 C28.734,47.432 28.713,47.238 28.713,47.048 C28.713,45.367 29.92,43.867 31.633,43.558 C32.564,43.388 33.506,43.589 34.283,44.13 C35.066,44.674 35.588,45.482 35.758,46.417 C36.102,48.343 34.82,50.19 32.896,50.54 C32.074,50.689 31.248,50.532 30.529,50.126 L24.103,54.63 L24.103,59.005 L37.58,59.005 C41.121,59.005 43.992,56.135 43.992,52.594 L43.992,6.429 C43.992,2.888 41.121,0.017 37.58,0.017" id="vine"></path>
                                              </g>
                                          </g>
                                      </g>
                                  </g>
                              </svg><span class="social-list_txt">Comment</span>
                          </a></li>
                  <li class="hidden-xs">
                    <a class="js-sharearticle" target="_blank" href="mailto:?subject=The%20Unexpected%20Health%20Impacts%20of%20a%20Hurricane%20on%20NBCNews.com&body=From%20NBCNews.com... %0D%0A%0D%0A%20The%20Unexpected%20Health%20Impacts%20of%20a%20Hurricane%0D%0Ahttps://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591?cid=eml_onsite
              ">
                      <i class="fa fa-envelope-o" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Email</span>
                    </a></li>
                  <li class="hidden-xs">
                    <button class="js-sharearticle print">
                      <i class="fa fa-print" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="social-list_txt">Print</span>
                    </button>
                  </li>
                </ul>
              </div>
              <div class="article_col-main article_col-main-left article_main">
                <div class="article-body">
                      <p> Eight years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area, a 4-year-old boy died after playing on a backyard Slip 'N Slide. He had been infected with a brain-destroying amoeba called Naegleria fowleri. </p>
                      <p> It was the <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/killer-amoeba-still-lurks-new-orleans-area-tap-water-n397186">first time the amoeba had been found</a> in tap water in the U.S. and health officials said it had likely grown there as a result of Katrina’s devastation. </p>
                  
                      <div class="js-player-shell" data-playertype="Inline">
                        <div class="widget widget_video widget_trusted">
                            <div class="video-viewport">
                                <div class="intrinsic">
                                    <div class="intrinsic-wrapper ratio-16x9">
                                        <div id="video_mpx_1036651587537_26" class="js-video-placeholder vilynx_enabled" vilynx-id="https://www.today.com/video/explosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537" data-mpxid="1036651587537" style="position: absolute; width: 100%; height: 100%;">
                                          <button id="js-play-video1036651587537_26" class="btn_txt img-overlay img-overlay_lg img-overlay_default img-overlay_middle img-overlay_video">
                                            <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Play</span>
                                          </button>
                                          <picture>
                                            <source media="(max-width: 480px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.nbcnews-ux-360-200.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 480px) and (max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.nbcnews-ux-440-240.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 999px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.nbcnews-ux-800-440.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1000px) and (max-width: 1229px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg" />
                                            <source media="(min-width: 1230px)" srcset="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.nbcnews-ux-1240-700.jpg" />
                                            <img class="img_tease" src="https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/j/msnbc/components/video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.nbcnews-ux-1080-600.jpg"  title="Explosions rock Arkema chemical plant in Texas flooded by rains from Harvey">
                                          </picture>
                                        </div>
                                    </div>
                                </div>
                            </div>
                            <ul class="social-list social-list_widget social-list_horizontal">
                                <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="tdy_news_harvey_explosion_phoner_170831" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.today.com%2Fvideo%2Fexplosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537&t=Explosions%20rock%20Arkema%20chemical%20plant%20in%20Texas%20flooded%20by%20rains%20from%20Harvey">
                                <i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li><a class="js-sharethis" data-guid="tdy_news_harvey_explosion_phoner_170831" data-context="inline-share-bar" target='_blank' href="https://twitter.com/share?text=Explosions%20rock%20Arkema%20chemical%20plant%20in%20Texas%20flooded%20by%20rains%20from%20Harvey&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.today.com%2Fvideo%2Fexplosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537&via=nbcnews">
                                <i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span>
                              </a></li>
                              <li class="cursor-pointer">
                                <i class="js-toggle js-toggle-embed fa fa-code" data-togglecontrols='{"toggleClass":"is-hidden hidden-xs", "selector":".form_embed-wrapper1036651587537_26", "activeTarget":true}' aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Embed</span>
                              </li>
                            </ul>
                            <div data-playerid="video_mpx1036651587537_26" id="1036651587537_26" class="js-play-video img-caption img-caption_video img-caption_lg">
                              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-hidden="true"></i>
                              <strong><span id="title_video_mpx1036651587537_26">Explosions rock Arkema chemical plant in Texas flooded by rains from Harvey</span></strong>
                                    <span>3:31</span>
                            </div>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-on pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-check-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <span style="font-size: smaller; color:#696969;" class="js-autoplay-toggle-off pull-right is-hidden">autoplay <i class="fa fa-square-o fa-1"></i></span>
                            <div class="js-video-embed form_embed-wrapper form_embed-wrapper1036651587537_26 is-hidden">
                              <form action="/">
                                <div class="form_group">
                                  <label for="embed" class="font-small">Copy this code to your website or blog</label>
                                  <textarea id="embed" name="embed" onclick="this.focus();this.select()" class="form_control form_embed" rows="4" readonly="readonly"><iframe src="https://www.nbcnews.com/widget/video-embed/1036651587537" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></textarea>
                                </div>
                              </form>
                            </div>
                        </div>
                        <script>
                            var playerInstance = {
                              videoObj : {"autoPlay":false,"associatedPlaylistUrl":"http://feed.theplatform.com/f/2E2eJC/nnd_29411569","availabilityState":"available","canonicalUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/explosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537","captionLinks":{"smpte-tt":"https://videocaptions.nbcnews.com/smpte-tt/tdy_news_harvey_explosion_phoner_170831.tt","srt":"https://videocaptions.nbcnews.com/srt/tdy_news_harvey_explosion_phoner_170831.srt","web-vtt":"https://videocaptions.nbcnews.com/web-vtt/tdy_news_harvey_explosion_phoner_170831.vtt"},"defaultAssociation":"Today/Sections/News","description":"Joining TODAY by phone, an official in Harris County, Texas, describes evacuation from a chemical plant in Crosby that was rocked by explosions after the facility was flooded by rains from Harvey. He says that there was a report of a trailer catching fire.","duration":211,"durationISO":"PT3M31.311S","guid":"tdy_news_harvey_explosion_phoner_170831","hasCaption":true,"mezzVersion":1,"mpxId":"1036651587537","nativeVideo":false,"playbackIsDisabled":false,"pubDate":"2017-08-31T12:28:37.000+0000","shortUrl":"https://www.today.com/video/explosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537","source":"TODAY","thumbnail":"https://media2.s-nbcnews.com/i/MSNBC/Components/Video/201708/tdy_plant_170831.jpg","title":"Explosions rock Arkema chemical plant in Texas flooded by rains from Harvey","video_playlists":[{"id":"mmlsnnd_29411569","label":"News"}],"videoType":"Broadcast","videoAssets":[{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"OnceURL","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/PFy6JC6QBIez","width":0,"height":0,"bitRate":0,"duration":211,"durationISO":"PT3M31S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Limelight MP4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/7p_d77JgKsfx","width":640,"height":360,"bitRate":800000,"duration":211,"durationISO":"PT3M31.311S"},{"format":"MPEG4","assetType":"Limelight MP4","publicUrl":"//link.theplatform.com/s/2E2eJC/FZlOvd33GZTx","width":424,"height":240,"bitRate":500000,"duration":211,"durationISO":"PT3M31.311S"}],"urls":{"canonical":"https://www.today.com/video/explosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537","short":"https://www.today.com/video/explosions-rock-arkema-chemical-plant-in-texas-flooded-by-rains-from-harvey-1036651587537"},"type":"widget","widget_type":"inline-video"},
                              placeHolderID : 'video_mpx_1036651587537_26',
                              nextPlaylist : [],
                              nextVideoIndex : 0,
                              isLoaded : false
                            };
                        
                            window.NEWS = window.NEWS || { };
                            NEWS.articleHasVideo = true;
                            NEWS.videoInstances = NEWS.videoInstances || [];
                            NEWS.videoInstances.push(playerInstance);
                        </script>
                      </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box1">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box1" data-placement="box1"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> But not because of any “toxic gumbo” spread by floodwaters. Instead, the state health department said, the microbe grew in water pipes that stretched across neighborhoods emptied by the hurricane’s destruction. As fewer people drew on water supplies, water could sit in pipes for longer, creating a warm and nourishing environment for the amoeba to grow. </p>
                      <p> The solution: flushing the pipes repeatedly with fresh water and chlorine disinfectant. But the problem remains. Evidence that the amoeba still survives in the water system keeps popping up, even as late as this summer. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/killer-amoeba-still-lurks-new-orleans-area-tap-water-n397186">Killer Amoeba Lurks in Louisiana Tap Water</a></strong> </p>
                      <p> It’s a valuable lesson about expecting the unexpected after a flood. People are sharing social posts about getting tetanus vaccines, about potentially deadly bacteria in fresh floodwaters and about outbreaks of cholera. But the U.S. is not especially prone to outbreaks after natural disasters. </p>
                      <p> “Increases in infectious diseases that were not present in the community before the flood are not usually a problem,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes. </p>
                      <aside class="pullquote">
                        <q><span class="dquo">&#8220;</span>I think we are going to be looking at a 15- to 20-year recovery for the region of Texas that is affected.&#8221;</q>
                      </aside>
                      <p> Most immediate health problems after any disaster in the U.S. are fairly ordinary, said Dr. Michael Millin, associate professor of emergency medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and medical director for fire and EMS services in Prince George’s County, Maryland. </p>
                      <p> “There will be sunburns, insect bites,” he said. People may get dehydrated if they run short of clean drinking water, or get an upset stomach if they drink contaminated water. But ordinary problems can turn deadly fast during a disaster. Patients with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes or kidney disease may run out of the supplies they need to manage their disease and they can become very ill and even die. </p>
                      <p> Carbon monoxide poisoning is also a big threat as people run generators and don’t set them far enough away from houses, or cook on grills inside garages or too near to windows or, even inside their homes. </p>
                      <p> But some health dangers from floods are subtler and longer-term. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box2">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box2" data-placement="box2"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "I think we are going to be looking at a 15- to 20-year recovery for the region of Texas that is affected," said Dr. Irwin Redlener, director of the National Center for Disaster Preparedness at Columbia University. </p>
                      <p> "I think it is going to be the most complex and costly disaster recovery in U.S. history, including the very widespread impact of the flooding." </p>
                      <p> Here are some of the risks: </p>
                      <h3> <strong>Chemicals and heavy metals</strong> </h3>
                      <p> Thursday morning<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-danger-major-chemical-plant-near-houston-likely-explode-facility-n797581"> at least two explosions</a> sent smoke into the air at a flooded chemical plant operated by Arkema Group. Experts said the chemicals in the smoke would dissipate quickly, but 15 deputies were treated and released from hospital after breathing in the irritating smoke. </p>
                      <p> Those chemicals are unlikely to cause long-term damage, but the Houston area has dozens of Environmental Protection Agency Superfund sites. They include the Brio refining site 20 miles south of the city, where petrochemicals such as diesel, toluene, ethylbenzene and jet fuel were reprocessed; Crystal Chemical Co., where herbicides including arsenic-based products were made and which has a history of releasing arsenic after flooding; the French site where petrochemicals and heavy metals were dumped and where they remain in the soil and water; and others. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/thousands-take-shelter-from-harvey-in-houston-1035437635752">Thousands Take Shelter from Harvey in Houston</a></strong> </p>
                      <p> Solvents such as ethylbenzene and toluene can get into air, water and soil but break down quickly. However, heavy metals such as lead and mercury never leave soil and if they get spread by flood waters, they can settle into farmland, grazing pasture, get into groundwater and settle in people’s yards. The effects can take years to discover but both are nerve toxins especially dangerous to infants and young children. </p>
                      <p> The flood has passed through and over gas stations, repair shops and storage depots and there will be no controlling where the waters spread and deposit chemicals from these locations. </p>
                      <p> "There is going to be a level of contamination that we have never seen before in floodwater because of the proliferation of chemicals plants, oil refineries," Redlener predicted. </p>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box3">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box3" data-placement="box3"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> "Even when the waters recede, we’ll still have the soil surfaces where the water was that will still be rife with pollutants of all kinds. When will it be safe to drink water, have kids walk around barefoot? I don’t think anyone knows yet." </p>
                      <h3> <strong>Closed clinics</strong> </h3>
                      <p> Most Houston area hospitals have done a good job of preventing permanent damage and none are expected to have to close long-term. For instance, the Texas Medical Center, home to Texas Children’s Hospital, Baylor College of Medicine, MD Anderson Cancer Center and other very high-profile hospitals, installed floodproof doors in its underground connecting passageways. </p>
                      <p> But smaller clinics, such as ambulatory care centers, dialysis centers and drugstore-based walk-in clinics are sprinkled throughout neighborhoods and those that have been badly flooded could be out of operation for weeks or months. Pharmacies, too. Houston was difficult to get around pre-Harvey, and after this catastrophic flood it will be even harder. Displaced people and those who lack cars will be especially unable to find alternatives for daily care. </p>
                      <aside class="pullquote">
                        <q><span class="dquo">&#8220;</span>When will it be safe to drink water, have kids walk around barefoot? I don&#x2019;t think anyone knows yet.&#8221;</q>
                      </aside>
                      <p> “Patients who are on dialysis, if they don’t get dialysis, they get short of breath and they can get pretty sick,” Millin said. Patients can die after missing just a few treatments. </p>
                      <p> "Huge numbers of adult Americans, close to 50 percent, are taking some sort of really important medications: asthma medication, heart medication," Redlener said. "Are the supply chains for those medications working properly? Because if not, we are going to see complications of some illnesses, even fatalities." </p>
                      <p> More immediately, thousands of people are trapped by the floodwaters, unable to get to local pharmacies, or to be reached by ambulance. "What happens if somebody gets really sick? Or if a child has a serious asthma attack and has to go to the hospital?" Redlener asked. </p>
                      <p> It's already happening. "People can't go to pharmacies because they're not open. They're under water," said Dr. Terri Schmidt, chief medical officer for one federal medical response team at the Houston Convention Center. "They can't get their regular medications. There are lots of behavioral and mental health issues because people are stressed again are off their medications." </p>
                      <h3> <strong>Damage to homes</strong> </h3>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-container_mobile ad-hide ad-container-box4">
                    <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                    	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                    </div>
                    <div class="ad-content ad-xs box4" data-placement="box4"></div>
                    </div>
                      <p> Even a little water damage can cause long-term problems for a house. Mold grows quickly, and people who were not sensitive to mold spores before can acquire a sensitivity if they breathe in large amounts, the CDC advises. </p>
                      <p> "You can predict enormous problems with mold infestation," said Redlener. </p>
                      <p> And people's efforts to clean up could worsen them. "If the HVAC system was flooded with water, turning on the mold-contaminated HVAC will spread mold throughout the house,” CDC cautions homeowners on its website. </p>
                      <p> More immediately, homeowners may come back to flood-damaged homes and turn on electricity without thinking. Doing so in standing water could be deadly. “If you see frayed wiring or sparks, or if there is an odor of something burning but no visible fire, you should immediately shut off the electrical system at the circuit breaker,” the CDC advises. </p>
                      <p> And salvaging a wet car can also be tricky. “Car batteries, even those in flood water, may still contain an electrical charge and should be removed with extreme caution by using insulated gloves. Avoid coming in contact with any acid that may have spilled from a damaged car battery,” the CDC notes. </p>
                      <p> Food touched by flood waters should be thrown out, unless it was in impermeable packaging – and even then the packaging should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water or a bleach solution. The Food and Drug Administration issued a warning earlier this week about food distributors and the risk of using food contaminated by flood waters. </p>
                      <h3> <strong>Mental health</strong> </h3>
                      <p> The trauma of being flooded, of fleeing homes, of losing property and of spending days or weeks on end in crowded shelters with little or no privacy, will add up, Redlener said. </p>
                      <p> "The mental health issues here are going to be considerable," he said. Post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety are all possible consequences of surviving a disaster. </p>
                      <p> Kids especially, may suffer long term, said Redlener, a pediatrician who helped found the the Children’s Health Fund to help kids with such problems. Many will have been separated from their parents. "Children are very vulnerable psychologically," he said. </p>
                      <p> <strong>Related: <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/zika-virus-outbreak/bracing-zika-tale-two-cities-n608546">Houston's Zika Virus Hotspot</a></strong> </p>
                      <h3> <strong>Mosquitoes</strong> </h3>
                      <p> The immediate flooding can actually wash away mosquitoes and clear out the places where they shelter, such as inside sewer pipes, dumped tires and in stagnant ponds. But after things start to dry out, weeks and months and even years down the road, debris and new ponds of standing water could provide even more places for disease-carrying mosquitoes to breed and spread. </p>
                      <p> Houston is home to mosquitoes that spread West Nile virus, dengue, Zika and other potentially deadly infections. </p>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article_meta article_share-md-gutter article_max">
                <div class="js-bottom-limit article_meta-container">
                    <div class="author_container">
                      <div class="author">
                          <div class="img_bio-container">
                            <img class="js-lazy img_bio" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" data-original="https://media3.s-nbcnews.com/j/newscms/2014_28/207351/140224-maggie-fox-1615_0c58bcecf8cd991fbd2df02ed6a7c419.nbcnews-fp-320-320.jpg" alt="Maggie Fox"/>
                          </div>
                        <div class="author_name">Maggie Fox</div>
                          <ul class="social-list social-list_author">
                              <li><a href="https://twitter.com/@maggiemfox" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-twitter" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Twitter</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Maggie-Fox/262695730411456" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-facebook" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Facebook</span></a></li>
                              <li><a href="https://plus.google.com/u/1/102127326883769752392?rel&#x3D;author" target="_blank"><i class="fa fa-google-plus" aria-hidden="true"></i><span class="screen-reader-txt">Google Plus</span></a></li>
                          </ul>
                      </div>
                    </div>
                  
                  
                  <div class="flag_article-meta">
                    <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm">
                      Topics
                    </span>
                    <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/health">Health</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/news/us-news">U.S. news</a>, <a class="flag flag_article-topic" href="/health/health-news">Health news</a></div>
                    <div class="timestamp_meta">
                      <span class="article_meta-title article_meta-title-sm">First Published</span> <time class="timestamp_article" datetime="2017-08-31T17:27:15.000Z">Aug 31 2017, 1:27 pm ET</time>
                
                
                    </div>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
            <div class="row_article article-footer_container article_max">
              <div class="article-nav article_share-md-gutter">
                  <div class="article-nav_container">
                    <span class="article_meta-title"><i class="fa fa-arrow-down" aria-hidden="true"></i> Next Story</span>
                    <a id="next-story_797591" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291">Harvey-hit Texans still struggle with recovery amid housing challenges</a>
                  </div>
              </div>
              <div class="article_col-main article_col-main-left article-footer article_share-md-gutter">
                      <div class="ad-container ad-xs ad-sm ad-md ad-lg taboolabelow ad-hide"></div>
                
              </div>
            </div>
            <div class="rail rail_article">
              <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-hide ad-container-boxflex">
              <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
              	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
              </div>
              <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg boxflex" data-placement="boxflex"></div>
              </div>
                  <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg xfinityrail ad-hide" data-iframesrc="/pages/ads/xfinity/rightrail.html">
                    <iframe class="ad-revpanel_iframe ad-revpanel_xfinity-rail" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
                  </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg taboolarail ad-hide"></div>
              <div class="ad-break-rightrail ad-hide"></div>
              <div class="ad-container ad-container_default ad-desktoptemplate ad-hide">
              <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
              	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
              </div>
              <div class="ad-content ad-sm ad-md ad-lg" data-placement=""></div>
              </div>
                    <div class="ad-container ad-sm ad-md ad-lg perfectmarket ad-hide" data-iframesrc="/pages/ads/perfectmarket/rightrail.html?csrc=https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591">
                      <div class="ad-label ad-hide">
                      	<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/" target="_blank">advertisement</a>
                      </div>
                      <iframe class="ad-revpanel_iframe ad-revpanel_perfectmarket-rail" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>
                    </div>
              
            </div>
          </div>
        </div>

    <script>

      // Note: this loads inside the article body
      if (typeof articleApp !== 'undefined') { // only execute after pageload
        articleApp.hasLoadedAjaxArticle = true;
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"health-news","byline":"Maggie Fox","externalId":"797591","contentType":"post","entryId":"797591","headline":"The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane","summary":"From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. ","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591","createdDate":"2017-08-31 17:27:15 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-31 23:01:59 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-31 23:02:01 Z","videoCount":1,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"}; // adds Analytics data so it can be used for analyticsDataLayerHistory
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.externalId = '797591'; // articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.headline = "";
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.canonical_url = 'https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591';
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.type = 'post';
        articleApp.lastAjaxArticle.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';

        // re-init value for DTM
        window.analyticsDataLayer = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"health-news","byline":"Maggie Fox","externalId":"797591","contentType":"post","entryId":"797591","headline":"The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane","summary":"From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. ","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591","createdDate":"2017-08-31 17:27:15 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-31 23:01:59 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-31 23:02:01 Z","videoCount":1,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};
        articleApp.analyticsDataLayerHistory.push(articleApp.lastAjaxArticle);
        window.analyticsDataLayer.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';

        window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer.channelSection = analyticsDataLayer.channelSection;

        $(function () {
          articleApp.articleViewBindings(true, '797591');
        });
      }
    </script>
  </article>
</div>


</main>
<footer class="site-footer" role="contentinfo">
  <div class="grid_default">
    <div class="container-gutter">
      <div class="container">
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-xs-12">
            <ul class="nav-bar nav-bar_sm nav-bar_alt">
              <li><a href="/pages/about-nbc-news-digital">About Us</a></li>
              <li><a href="/pages/careers">Careers</a></li>
              <li><a href="/pages/contact-us">Contact</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://www.nbcuniversal.com/privacy/full-privacy-policy/">Privacy Policy</a></li>
              <li>
                <a href="/pages/terms-of-service">Terms of Service
                </a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="/pages/sitemap">nbcnews.com Site Map</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/id/31066137/media-kit/">Advertise</a>
              </li>
              <li>
                <a href="https://info.evidon.com/pub_info/1195?v=1">AdChoices</a>
              </li>
              <li class="legal">&copy; 2018 NBCnews.com</li>
            </ul>
          </div>
        </div>
        <div class="row">
          <div class="col-xs-12">
            <ul class="nav-bar nav-bar_brand">
              <li class="brand-cnbc">
                <a href="https://cnbc.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-cnbc.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="CNBC"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-msnbc">
                <a href="http://msnbc.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/nbcnews-assets/footer-logo-msnbc-upper.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="msnbc"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-nbcnews">
                <a href="https://nbcnews.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-nbcnews.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="NBC NEWS"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-today">
                <a href="https://www.today.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/cdnassets/projects/nbcnews-assets/footer-logo-today-jul15.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="TODAY"/>
                </a>
              </li>
              <li class="brand-xfinity">
                <a href="https://xfinity.com/">
                  <img class="img-responsive svg-fallback js-lazy" data-original="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/non-rev/footer-logo-xfinity.svg" src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/images/transparent-placeholder.gif" alt="xfinity"/>
                </a>
              </li>
            </ul>
          </div>
        </div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</footer>

<!-- Dynamic Yield Code -->
<script type="text/javascript">
    DY = {scsec : 8765428 ,API: function(){(DY.API.actions = DY.API.actions || []).push(arguments)}};
</script>
<script async type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.dynamicyield.com/api/8765428/api_dynamic.js"></script>
<script async type="text/javascript" src="//cdn.dynamicyield.com/api/8765428/api_static.js"></script>

<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/vendor/e13156bf.modernizr.js"></script>

  <script type="text/javascript">
    var screenWidth = {'small': 768, 'medium':1000, 'large':1230}
  
    var mpsapp = {
      currentBreakpoint: "",
      breakpointSizes: {'xs':'xs', 'sm':'sm', 'md':'md', 'lg':'lg'},
      init: function(){
        this.currentBreakpoint = this.getBreakpoint();
        this.isPixelmanEnabled = this.getPixelmanEnabled();
      },
      getBreakpoint: function(){
        var width = document.documentElement.clientWidth;
  
        if(width < screenWidth.small) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.xs;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.small && width < screenWidth.medium) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.sm;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.medium && width < screenWidth.large) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.md;
        }
        else if(width >= screenWidth.large) {
          return this.breakpointSizes.lg;
        }
        return this.breakpointSizes.lg;
      },
      isPixelmanEnabled: false,
      getPixelmanEnabled: function(){
        if (this.currentBreakpoint === this.breakpointSizes.lg || this.currentBreakpoint === this.breakpointSizes.md){
          return true;
        }
        return false;
      }
    }
    mpsapp.init();
  
    var ads = {
      site: 'nbcnews.com',
      mpscall: {
        site: 'nbcnews-web',
        path: '/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591',
        cat: 'news|us-news',
        type: 'post',
        articleIndex: 1,
      },
      videoPlayer: {
        freewheelValue: 'nbcnews_fallbacksitesection',
        sect:'',
        topic:'',
        show:'',
        storyline:'',
        feature:''
      },
        videoData: {
          section: 'news',
          topic:'us-news',
          show:'',
          storyline:'hurricane-harvey',
          feature:''
        },
        storylineList: 'hurricane-harvey',
        sectionList: 'news|health',
      init: function(){
  
      },
      getFreewheelSiteSection: function(){
        return ((_site && !_site.isMobile) ? 'nbcnews_allos_web_ondemand' : 'nbcnews_mobile_allos_web_ondemand');
      },
      getFreewheelSection: function(){
        if(mps && mps.pagevars){
          return mps.pagevars.freewheel_section
        }
        return 'nbcnews_fallbacksitesection';
      },
      getVideoPlayerConfig: function(){
  
        if (mps && mps.pagevars){
          this.videoPlayer.freewheelValue = mps.pagevars.freewheel_section;
  
          if(mps.pagevars.cats){
            var mpsSection = mps.pagevars.cats[0];
            this.videoPlayer.sect = mpsSection;
            this.videoPlayer.show = mpsSection;
          }
        }
  
        return this.videoPlayer;
      }
    }
    ads.init();
  
  </script>
  
  <script type="text/javascript">
    var mpsopts = {'host':'mps.nbcnews.com'};
    mpsopts.isHostStage = function(){
      if (window.location.href.indexOf('prodads=true') > -1 || window.location.host.indexOf('sys02') === 0){return false;}
      if (window.location.href.indexOf('stageads=true') > -1 || window.location.host.indexOf('sys') === 0 || window.location.host.indexOf('local.nbcnews.com:9001') === 0  || window.location.host.indexOf('nbcnews.com') === -1){return true;}
      return false;
    };
    if (mpsopts.isHostStage()) {mpsopts.host = 'stage.mps.nbcnews.com';}
    var mpscall = {};
    mpscall.site = ads.mpscall.site;
    mpscall.path = ads.mpscall.path;
    mpscall.cat = ads.mpscall.cat;
    mpscall.type = ads.mpscall.type;
    mpscall['cag[entryno]'] = ads.mpscall.articleIndex;
  
    if (ads.sectionList){
      mpscall['cag[sections]'] = ads.sectionList;
    }
  
    if(ads.storylineList){
      mpscall['cag[storylines]'] = ads.storylineList;
    }
  
    if (ads.noAds){
      mpscall['cag[noads]'] =  ads.noAds;
    }
  
    var mps = mps || {};
    document.write('<scr'+'ipt id="mps-ext-load" src="//'+mpsopts.host+'/fetch/ext/load-'+mpscall.site+'.js"></scr'+'ipt>');
  </script>

<script>
  function viewport() {
    var e = window, t = "inner";
    if (!("innerWidth"in window)) {
      t = "client";
      e = document.documentElement || document.body
    }
    return {width: e[t + "Width"], height: e[t + "Height"]}
  }
</script>
<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/vendor-8bdaecde8f.bundle.min.js"></script>
<script>

    var stylesheets = [
        'https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/styles/fonts-b858ad4bb0.min.css',
        'https://netdna.bootstrapcdn.com/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css',
        'https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/weather-icons/1.2/css/weather-icons.min.css',
        'https://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_elliott/jenga_css?widgets=zinger2'
    ];
    function onloadCSS( ss, callback ) {ss.onload = function() {ss.onload = null;if( callback ) {callback.call( ss );}};if( "isApplicationInstalled" in navigator && "onloadcssdefined" in ss ) {ss.onloadcssdefined( callback );}}

    setTimeout(function () {
        if(!getCookie('fonts_cached')){
            var fonts = loadCSS(stylesheets[0]);
            onloadCSS(fonts, function() {
                $.cookie('fonts_cached','Y', {path:'/', expires: 14});
            });
        }
        loadCSS(stylesheets[1]);
        loadCSS(stylesheets[2]);
        loadCSS(stylesheets[3]);
    }, 1);

  window.DTM = {
    routedata:{},
    routename: 'article',
    pagetype: '',
    taxonomy: 'hurricane-harvey',
    taxonomy_parent: '',
    social_share : {}
  };

  window.analyticsDataLayer = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"health-news","byline":"Maggie Fox","externalId":"797591","contentType":"post","entryId":"797591","headline":"The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane","summary":"From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. ","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591","createdDate":"2017-08-31 17:27:15 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-31 23:01:59 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-31 23:02:01 Z","videoCount":1,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};
</script>

  <script src="https://assets.adobedtm.com/cd771b0aa897f931a306d7ab6af0d448836b5fd1/satelliteLib-d7647ef38f862ffb17587d65d0a95182256c1765.js"></script>

  <script async src="https://nvcdn.nbcnews.com/_elliott/jenga?widgets=newsletter,zinger2"></script>
<script>
  $(function () {
    if (!Modernizr.svg) {
      $('.svg-fallback').attr('src', function () {
        return $(this).attr('src').replace(/\.(svg)$/i, '.png');
      });
    }
  });
</script>

<script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/main-4f0955b1c5.bundle.min.js"></script>


  <div id="playerframe" class="playerframe" style="position: absolute">
    <div id="js-player-loading" class="loading_container is-hidden">
      <div class="loading_indicator"></div>
    </div>
    <div id="js-control-rack-placeholder"></div>
  </div>

  <script type="text/template" id="js-control-rack">
    <% if ((isAd) || (isVideo && useDuringContent)) { %>
      <% if ((lastMouseMove + hideDelay) > (currentTime)) { %>
        <div class="controlrack_video-ad-scrubber" id="video-control-rack">
          <% if (isPlaying) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-pause">
              <i class="fa fa-pause" aria-label="Pause"></i>
            </div>
          <% } else { %>
            <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-play">
              <i class="fa fa-play" aria-label="Play"></i>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isAd) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_ad-control">
              <div class="controlrack_center-content">
                Your video begins in <div class="controlrack_ad-time">
                  <%- timeFormat(endTime-currentTime) %>
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isLive) { %>
            <div class="controlrack_ad-control">
              <div class="controlrack_center-content">
                <div class="controlrack_ad-time">
                  <i class="fa fa-circle">  </i>LIVE
                </div>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isVideo && !isAd && !isLive) { %>
            <div class="time-control">
              <div class="time time-progress">
                <%-timeFormat(currentTime)%>
              </div>
              <div class="scrubber-wrapper">
                <div class="scrubber">
                  <div id="scrubber-status" class="scrubber-status" style="width: <%= Math.floor((currentTime * 100) / endTime) %>%">&nbsp;</div>
                </div>
              </div>
              <div class="time time-end">
                <%-timeFormat(endTime)%>
              </div>
            </div>
          <% } %>
          <% if (isVideo || isLive) { %>
            <div class="btn-right">
              <% if (isDesktop) { %>
                <% if (inMutedState) { %>
                  <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-volume-off">
                    <i class="fa fa-volume-off"></i>
                  </div>
                <% } else { %>
                  <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-volume-on">
                    <i class="fa fa-volume-up"></i>
                  </div>
                <% } %>
              <% } %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-cc">
                    <i class="fa fa-cc"></i>
                    <% if (ccMenuOpen) { %>
                      <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-ccOptions">
                        <i class="fa fa-option">Options</i>
                        <i class="fa fa-english">English</i>
                        <i class="fa fa-off">Off</i>
                      </div>
                    <% } %>
                </div>
              <% if (inFullscreenState) { %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-compress">
                  <i class="fa fa-compress"></i>
                </div>
              <% } else { %>
                <div class="controlrack_btn-controls js-control-expand">
                  <i class="fa fa-expand"></i>
                </div>
              <% } %>
            </div>
          <% } %>
        </div>
      <% } %>
    <% } %>
  </script>

  <script src="https://nodeassets.nbcnews.com/scripts/articleApp-d2de6d339f.bundle.min.js"></script>
 <script>
    $(function () {
      // reminder: this only loads on initial pageload
      articleApp.articleViewBindings(false, '797591');
      articleApp.sectionTopic = '/storyline/hurricane-harvey';
      articleApp.nextArticles = [{"externalId":"833291","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/harvey-hit-texans-still-struggle-recovery-amid-housing-challenges-n833291","headline":"Harvey-hit Texans still struggle with recovery amid housing challenges","id":"ncna833291"},{"externalId":"832011","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/houston-mayor-makes-desperate-plea-hurricane-harvey-recovery-aid-n832011","headline":"Houston mayor makes desperate plea for Hurricane Harvey recovery aid","id":"ncna832011"},{"externalId":"827571","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/slideshow/storm-battered-teams-face-final-football-showdown-n827571","headline":"Storm-battered teams face final football showdown","id":"ncsl827571"},{"externalId":"821946","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/white-house-requests-44-billion-additional-disaster-relief-n821946","headline":"White House requests $44 billion in additional disaster relief ","id":"ncna821946"},{"externalId":"819851","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/two-months-after-harvey-coastal-texas-towns-still-desperate-housing-n819851","headline":"Two Months After Harvey, Coastal Texas Towns Still Desperate for Housing","id":"ncna819851"},{"externalId":"815211","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/economists-say-farmers-lost-200-million-during-hurricane-harvey-n815211","headline":"Economists Say Farmers Lost $200 Million During Hurricane Harvey","id":"ncna815211"},{"externalId":"811896","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/hurricane-deepens-divide-between-houston-s-haves-have-nots-n811896","headline":"Receding Waters in Houston Reveal Families' Divergent Paths to Recovery","id":"ncna811896"},{"externalId":"812996","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/former-presidents-call-unity-hurricane-aid-concert-n812996","headline":"Former Presidents Call for Unity at Hurricane Aid Concert","id":"ncna812996"},{"externalId":"812961","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/five-former-u-s-presidents-appearing-texas-hurricane-relief-concert-n812961","headline":"Five Former U.S. Presidents Appearing at Texas Hurricane Relief Concert","id":"ncna812961"},{"externalId":"812686","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/houston-suburb-harvey-relief-applicants-don-t-boycott-israel-n812686","headline":"Houston Suburb to Harvey Relief Applicants: Don't Boycott Israel","id":"ncna812686"}];
      articleApp.articleContext = {"contentSource":"NBCNews","pageName":"nbcnews:post:unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane","page":"article","section":"news","topic":"health-news","byline":"Maggie Fox","externalId":"797591","contentType":"post","entryId":"797591","headline":"The Unexpected Health Impacts of a Hurricane","summary":"From closed dialysis clinics to traumatized kids and people unable to get asthma medications, the health effects of Harvey may haunt Houston for years. ","canonical_url":"https://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/hurricane-harvey/unexpected-health-impacts-hurricane-n797591","createdDate":"2017-08-31 17:27:15 Z","publishDate":"2017-08-31 23:01:59 Z","modifiedDate":"2017-08-31 23:02:01 Z","videoCount":1,"channelSection":"news","isFeature":false,"storyline":"Hurricane Harvey"};

      window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer ={};
      window.videoAnalyticsDataLayer.channelSection = analyticsDataLayer.channelSection;

      articleApp.updateArticle('797591');
    });
  </script>

  <script src="//cdn.taboola.com/libtrc/nbcnews/loader.js"></script>



<script type="text/javascript">_satellite.pageBottom();</script>
  <script type="text/javascript"> 
  	if (mps && typeof(mps.writeFooter) === 'function'){
  		mps.writeFooter();
  	} 
  </script>
<script src="https://jetpack.nbcnews.com/prod/Servejetpack?bucket=jetpack-rev&bundle=jetpack-master/nbcnews"></script>
</body>
</html>
