After the immediate danger of floods, survivors could face lingering, hidden health issues

After Hurricane Rita in 2005, a resident of Groves, Texas, appears in his moldy living room. (David J. Phillip / AP)

When a city becomes submerged, property damage is only part of the problem:

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Mold and fungus can and do take root in the saturated walls of buildings, thriving in the moisture sometimes taking weeks to fully dry out.

During this time, people living in those environments could be, and likely are, breathing in the spores.

The urban environments hit by the the worst of the flooding held water by design, albeit unintentionally, causing it to stick around longer than it should.

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According to the Atlantic, the longer the water sits, the worse the problem becomes, and the health of residents can be affected for years after a disaster like Harvey plays out.

Part of the reason the water sticks around for so long is by design in Houston; some of Bayou City’s buildings were built on wetlands that could’ve helped absorb the water had they not been paved over.

However, exposure to mold can cause myriad health issues, including allergies, asthma, immunological reactions and chronic sinusitis.

A similar problem affected the people of Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, the effects of which continued long after the high waters drained and the mosquito population dwindled.

But to demonstrate the potential of the lasting effect, as of last October, Brooklyn residents were still dealing with mold in their apartments from Hurricane Sandy in 2012.

Toxic black mold, the variety emitting toxic mycotoxin particles into the air, is of particular concern after a massive flood, given it can make people physically ill.

Of course, there are other, more-subtle varieties with potentially toxic effects, as well.

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As the waters of Harvey start to drain, Houston residents should be especially vigilant about mold in their homes if they were subject to flooding.

If you need or would like to help after Harvey’s impacts, read more here.

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