Psychologist describes flood survivors' shock and fear, warns of deeper trauma

Rescue and search operations are underway in Nepal following devastating flash floods along the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river systems. However, mental health professionals are warning that the crisis is far from over, with survivors facing significant psychological distress and the risk of deeper trauma in the coming weeks.

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Right now, people are in survival mode.

Basu Acharya, an MPhil/PhD scholar in Psychology, described the immediate aftermath as a state of "survival mode." Survivors are primarily focused on locating missing relatives and dealing with the immediate shock and fear. Many who have lost everything are frozen, unable to think about the future. Even those providing relief are experiencing distress, highlighting the profound impact of the disaster.

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When an entire village changes like this, people become anchored to old memories, wondering when, or whether, their village will ever return to what it was, and what will happen next.

Acharya explained that beyond immediate grief, survivors are experiencing acute stress and collective uncertainty. Children are particularly vulnerable, crying over lost parents and relatives, and grappling with anxiety about what comes next. Some survivors are expressing feelings of guilt or personal responsibility. Elderly survivors, however, are finding comfort in culturally familiar concepts like 'bhagya' (fate or destiny).

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People who have lost their homes and families entirely are frozen, in shock, with no capacity right now to think or talk about what comes next.

The psychologist emphasized the importance of Psychological First Aid (PFA) in helping survivors process their experiences. As the initial survival phase gives way to deeper emotional processing, the risk of conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) increases. The loss of homes, culture, and familiar norms makes this disaster particularly challenging to comprehend and overcome.

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There is real discomfort in this: people are constantly trying to figure out who is alive and who isn’t, asking after friends, relatives, extended family in nearby villages.