Which of the following are common types of natural disasters that healthcare facilities must prepare for?

Healthcare facilities must prepare for a variety of natural disasters that can significantly disrupt their operations and affect patient care. The correct answer highlights floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes as common types of natural disasters. These events are characterized by their potential for widespread impact, causing physical damage to infrastructure and, consequently, major challenges for healthcare systems in maintaining safety and service continuity.

Floods can result from heavy rainfall and can lead to water damage to facilities, power outages, and unsafe conditions for patients and staff. Hurricanes bring high winds and heavy rain, which can cause destruction, flooding, and loss of utilities. Earthquakes can cause severe structural damage, disrupt communications, and lead to mass casualties, necessitating a well-prepared response from healthcare facilities.

In contrast, other options mention scenarios that are not classified as natural disasters. While robberies and cyberattacks are threats that institutions must manage, they are considered security risks rather than natural disasters. Similarly, influenza epidemics, while important for healthcare preparedness, do not fall under the category of natural disasters; they are considered public health crises. Finally, power outages and staffing shortages, although critical to the functioning of healthcare facilities, are largely operational issues that can arise from various causes, not specifically natural disasters.

Thus,