Infection, electrocution and injury: Florence's floodwaters may carry hidden dangers
Tropical Storm Florence is dumping near-record amounts of rain in parts of the Carolinas, causing catastrophic flooding that, apart from the damage to homes and businesses, poses serious health hazards to residents. Muddy, opaque floodwaters can hide large or sharp objects dislodged during a storm that can lead to injury, "anything from a fracture to a major laceration," said ABC News' chief medical correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton. The water may also contain snakes or other wildlife, human waste from overwhelmed sewage lines or chemicals leached or spilled from flooded sites. Ashton, who was on the ground in Texas after Hurricane Harvey last year, said the floodwater dangers she witnessed included drowning, electrocutions from downed power lines, and infection. "When you talk about w...