Incidence and Mortality Rates of Disasters and Mass Casualty Incidents in Korea: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Study, 2000-2009

The objective of study was to evaluate the incidence and mortality rates of disasters and mass casualty incidents (MCIs) over the past 10 yr in the administrative system of Korea administrative system and to examine their relationship with population characteristics. This was a population-based cross-sectional study. We calculated the nationwide incidence, as well as the crude mortality and injury incidence rates, of disasters and MCIs. The data were collected from the administrative database of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and from provincial fire departments from January 2000 to December 2009. A total of 47,169 events were collected from the NEMA administrative database. Of these events, 115 and 3,079 cases were defined as disasters and MCIs that occurred in Korea, respectively. The incidence of technical disasters/MCIs was approximately 12.7 times greater than that of natural disasters/MCIs. Over the past 10 yr, the crude mortality rates for disasters and MCIs were 2.36 deaths per 100,000 persons and 6.78 deaths per 100,000 persons, respectively. The crude injury incidence rates for disasters and MCIs were 25.47 injuries per 100,000 persons and 152 injuries per 100,000 persons, respectively. The incidence and mortality of disasters/MCIs in Korea seem to be low compared to that of trend around the world.

Traumatic asphyxial deaths due to an uncontrolled crowd at railway station: Two case reports.

Deaths in stampede accidents are not new in India. Majority of causalities occurred as a result of traumatic asphyxia in such cases. Traumatic asphyxia is a rare syndrome first described over 150 years ago by Olivier. It is caused by sudden compressive chest trauma and is associated with craniocervical cyanosis, facial edema and petechiae, sub-conjunctival hemorrhage, and neurological symptoms. Although minor incidents of jostling are common at railway stations, but deaths occurring consequent to stampede by an uncontrollable crowd is not very common. A stampede occurred at New Delhi railway station which results in death of two persons and injuring many. The autopsy findings along with circumstantial evidence, results in arriving of conclusion that these deaths occurs as a consequence of traumatic asphyxia. Various clinical features of this condition are described in the literature, a brief review of which is given in this article. In the conclusion few preventive measures are also suggested so that in future such tragedies can be averted.