There are a few parts of the world where clean after a natural weather disaster, is just beginning. People have lost belongings and some have even lost family members and beloved pets. Weather disasters are not new phenomena, but the severity with which they are making landfall has increased. People were never designed as aquatic beings so when water is everywhere, life is strained and stressful as we find ourselves in a scary and dangerous environment. Here, in New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland, unprecedented rainfall has left many lives floating, both physically and emotionally. Children have had their routines abandoned as schools close and routine daily life is put on hold, adding to the already high-stress levels in households and creating fear, uncertainty and damage to mental and emotional well-being (Almedon & Summerfield, 2004).
As the waters recede, it becomes clearer that the losses suffered by those who really cannot just get up and fight back are huge. We see whole household loads of damage being carted off to the local tip. Children and parents are traumatised by the loss of everyday life as they knew it. Clothing, one of our most basic human needs has been stolen away by the flood waters along with furniture, beds and bedding. The comfort of your own bed, be it yours or one that you share, is yours and is a safe, comforting place to be. No longer do families in the midst of this weather chaos have that sanctuary to call their own.
One of the most amazing things about humanity is our willingness to help each other in crisis and to share what we have, including our hope, beliefs, strengths and motivation. People, families, friends and strangers can lend a helping hand to clear up the conditions caused by the flood and help return a partial quality of life to flood victims (Ampuero, 2014). Unfortunately, though, mental well-being will be affected by this traumatic series of events for some time to come. Not only have whole households lost everything that they have worked hard and made sacrifices for, but businesses have also lost much of their stock, with little chance of a quick recovery as many suppliers face the inability to supply many goods that are still being held up through supply lines already damaged by the Covid-19 pandemic.
As a second cyclone looms close to the country, we may very well be starting this over again, and facing trauma on trauma as mental well-being is low and affecting self-esteem and self-worth. Hold on to those smiles and try to get back into your routines as soon as you are able.
It is very important that we remember that looks can deceive, and even if your neighbour looks okay, maybe now is the time to check in and chat. People affected by this chaos, may not know how to communicate it to the world or just may not know who to talk to. Feeling lost and forgotten is devastating as you discard all of your flood-damaged belongings, these feelings of loss will persist long-term as people struggle to find resilience (Almedon & Summerfield, 2004).
Do you need someone to talk to? Are you being kind to yourself?
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References:
Almedom, A., & Summerfield, D. (2004). MENTAL WELL-BEING IN SETTINGS OF ‘COMPLEX EMERGENCY’: AN OVERVIEW. Journal of Biosocial Science,36(4), 381-388. doi:10.1017/S0021932004006832
Using mental well-being impact assessment to understand factors influencing well-being after a disaster
David Ampuero, Solange Goldswosthy, Luisa E. Delgado & Christian Miranda J. Pages 184-194 | Received 06 Nov 2014, Accepted 09 Feb 2015, Published online: 16 Apr 2015
