Emotional experience of flood victims

Floods along the India-Nepal border have not yet receded. Lakhs of acres of crops and houses have been destroyed. Though relief is being provided to millions of victims, they are groping for emotional support too as they have lost ‘everything’..

Floods on both sides of the India-Nepal border have affected millions of people. Thousands have been displaced; many have lost their houses, crops and household goods; they are hardly left with anything. For many, floods have taken away their all. Some have even lost their loved ones. The lives of the affected lie devastated. Though relief efforts are underway, it will take some time for it to reach all and sundry. Many parts are still inundated and the inundation is continuing. Even those who have been saved are finding it tough to access potable water, food and shelter.

Floods have brought in contaminated water and with sanitation deteriorating, outbreak of water-borne diseases is feared. The people are a despaired lot. The normal coping strategies of the poor affected by the floods have been stretched to the limit. Once the present crisis is over, problems like water-logging, epidemics and water-borne diseases are likely to arise. Though rescue, relief and improvement of living conditions of the people who have been displaced are high on the list of priorities right now, we may need to look beyond.

Poor families struggle to obtain enough food even at the best of times. Now, with food stocks and crops all under water, food has become scarce. Already malnutrition among children and women in the flood-affected areas is high and can only get worse. Children are most vulnerable and susceptible to water-borne diseases; their health will be at risk in the days ahead and given poor nutrition, their health can only get worse. They will be the silent victims of floods and suffering even after the floods have receded. They are also more vulnerable to abuse.

The trauma inflicted by floods will linger on. Disaster impacts all those who have been subjected to it, either directly or indirectly. In addition to physical and social damage, gloomy thoughts, agony and hopelessness inflicted by the floods will pervade. In the case of children the agony may be even more, albeit different. They interpret their personal experiences in the context of the surroundings and environment they live in. Normally, elders tend to speak out and share their emotions but in the case of children, the normal protective ambience vanishes.

Given the associated chaos and trauma, the impact may be severe, most of which they can’t even share. Their home and / or school where they learn, play, share and receive psychological and social support often represents the protective ambience and this may ebb away. They tend to experience insecurity, anxiety, fear, anger, sadness, despair and fear of recurrence of flood. Emotional experience could be difficult to deal with for the elderly pregnant women and those who are sick.

No doubt, responding to immediate needs like food, water, shelter and support (for rebuilding their lives) should be high on the list of priorities but alongside, providing psycho-social support will be critical to help them overcome the trauma inflicted by the disaster.