Health planning for disasters builds on an awareness of ways in which the disaster affects health and on anticipation of tasks to be performed by the health sector.

In view of the possibility of an earthquake of significant magnitude in Israel, and in the absence of previous earthquake experience, published data of earthquake health effects were studied, such as causes of death and injury, casualty rates and factors influencing these, distribution of injuries and their severity, effect on health care facilities and on physical, social and psychological environments. Implications of the studied data were applied to relevant conditions in Israel and to an earthquake there. A predisaster vulnerability assessment was thus obtained, pointing to the nature, size, and space and time distribution of tasks the health sector would be expected to perform should an earthquake occur in Israel.

On the basis of this assessment some recommendations for the preparation and preparedness of the health sector for such an occurrence are submitted.

On the night of April 11, 1984, the cyclone “Kamisy” struck the northern part of Madagascar. Because of the alarming reports from the disaster area, the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies decided to send a disaster stand-by team. The results of the survey of the disaster area and the medical assistance are discussed. Attention is also given to the objectives of the disaster stand-by team.

The Falkland Islands conflict in the South Atlantic once again drew attention to the paramount importance of making adequate plans for the treatment of the sick and wounded, and their subsequent removal from the battle area. The pages of history are littered with accounts of battles, and in some cases wars, being lost because of the inadequate or non-existent plans made to give logistic medical support to the fighting units

Data on resuscitation potentials immediately following major earthquakes are lacking. Published reports have been unrevealing. Retrospective interviews of surviving eyewit esses might be more revealing. The epicenter of the last major Peruvian earthquake of May 30, 1970, was off the coast, but the damage included most of central Peru including the Andean Range. A total of 80,000 people were killed, including the entire population of Yungay (25,000), buried alive by several m of an ice-mud-rock avalanche which broke off Mt. Huascaran (22,000ft.). There, resuscitation potential was zero. In nearby Huaras (pop. 30,000, alt. 12,000 ft.), 15,000 died, 90% of houses were destroyed. Interviews with lay survivors gave unclear reports.