Hurricane Irene's Health Risks Likely To Linger

Hurricane Irene's powerful one-two punch of high winds and heavy rainfall will undoubtedly result in dangerous airborne debris, fallen trees and flash floods.

But after her winds die down and her storm surges recede, a "whole suite of issues that may not have been considered" will remain, said Ronald Kendall, director of The Institute of Environment and Human Health at Texas Tech University.

Victims of Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike know all too well that the lingering risks of contaminated water, toxic mold, weakened structures and infectious diseases can prove harmful over the days, weeks, and even months after the hurricane winds have passed. But this dangerous reality may not be on the radar of people along Hurricane Irene's unusual path.

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