Floods & hurricanes: before, during & after

In one study of Florida adults during the 60 hours before Hurricane Irma, people who expected to be badly shaken by the storm were more likely to follow lots of storm media. They also had more distress a month later.

The researchers noted that seeking information is a reasonable thing to do, but for some people it may feed stress rather than calm it.

In a large study after floods in England, people whose homes flooded had much higher rates of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress a year later than people who were not affected. Deeper water was linked to higher risk.

People who were not flooded but had their lives disrupted, for example by losing power or being cut off, also had more distress than people who weren’t affected.

After Hurricane Katrina, researchers found that mental health problems among survivors rose between the first and second years, the opposite of the usual pattern. Unresolved storm-related stresses explained much of that rise.

This is why practical help, like housing, money and repairs, matters so much for emotional recovery.

• After a disaster: what to do: aid, insurance, paperwork and cleaning up safely
• Being prepared: emotional & practical readiness: go bags, alerts and family plans
• Building a first aid & emergency kit (with comfort items for your mind)
• Fear of storms, thunder & extreme weather: when storm fear lasts or grows
• Natural & climate disasters: reactions, the emotional road of recovery and helpers
• Rebuilding after big setbacks: the long road months and years later

Ready.gov suggests

• Check your flood risk with FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center, and remember floods don’t follow map lines
• Know your evacuation zone and route, and practise it with your household and pets
• Sign up for local alerts, and consider a NOAA Weather Radio

Standard homeowner’s insurance does not cover flooding, and a new flood policy usually takes up to 30 days to start. Ready.gov advises buying or renewing it well before a storm.

Keep documents in waterproof containers, and make password-protected digital copies.

Ideas from Ready.gov

• Clear drains and gutters
• Consider hurricane shutters
• Move valuables to upper levels
• Secure outdoor furniture
• Think about check valves and a sump pump with battery backup

Ready.gov says services may be unavailable for days or weeks after a hurricane. Keep phones charged, get backup chargers, and stock food, water and pet supplies.

Ready.gov encourages checking on neighbours, older adults and anyone who may need help, and planning ahead for household members with disabilities.

Helping others before a storm builds the very connections that help everyone recover after.

Research before Hurricane Irma found that heavy storm media use was linked with more distress afterward. Information seeking can backfire for some people, leading to more stress rather than less.

Ideas that help

• Follow official alerts and local officials, not rumours
• Keep the radio or TV off when there’s no new information
• Set times to check, like once an hour
• Use text messages to save phone battery and lines

Ready.gov says that if you are in a mandatory evacuation zone and officials order you to leave, do so immediately. Storm surge has historically been the leading cause of hurricane deaths in the United States.

Leaving home can bring guilt, worry about your house and fear of the unknown. Those feelings are normal. A house can be repaired. You can’t be replaced.

For high winds, Ready.gov advises sheltering in a storm shelter or an interior room. If flooding traps you in a building, go to the highest level, but do not climb into a closed attic.

Try this when the wind gets loud

1. Feel your feet on the floor or your back against the wall
2. Breathe in slowly for 4 counts, and out for 6
3. Name five things you can see by flashlight
4. Say to yourself: “I’m in my safe spot. I have a plan.”

Playing cards, singing, telling stories or reading aloud can help children and adults pass the hours together.

In the English flooding study, losing utilities like power was linked to higher rates of post-traumatic stress among people whose homes flooded.

Never run a generator indoors. Ready.gov says to use generators only outdoors, away from windows.

The National Weather Service says

• About 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars
• About 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks
• Never drive around barriers on a flooded road, because the road under the water may be gone
• Six inches of fast-moving water can knock over an adult

Ready.gov advises staying inside your car if it is trapped in fast-moving water. If water rises inside the car, move onto the roof.

Go to the highest level. Use the roof only if necessary, and signal for help. Do not go into a closed attic, where rising water can trap you.

Call 911 for medical emergencies.

Ready.gov warns that floodwater may contain germs, chemicals, debris and wildlife, and that downed power lines can electrically charge the water. Stay out of it as much as you can.

Shelters and crowded homes can be loud, bright and unsettling. Tiredness and frayed tempers are common, and they don’t mean you’re handling things badly.

Small comforts

• A familiar blanket, pillow or hoodie
• Earplugs or headphones for sleep
• One short walk outside each day
• Regular meals and water, even if you’re not hungry

SAMHSA notes that temporary housing and changing roles can strain family relationships after a disaster.

Ready.gov advises including pets when you practise your evacuation route and stocking pet supplies.

Worry or grief about a pet that was lost or left behind is real grief. The NCTSN notes that some families lose a pet in a hurricane, and children may worry about pets’ safety.

Not knowing if your home is damaged can keep your mind racing. Try to focus on what you can do today: one phone call, one form, one good meal.

Go home only when authorities say it’s safe.

The CDC advises cleaning and drying your home within 24 to 48 hours after a flood if possible, and throwing away things that can’t be dried quickly.

Protect yourself

• Never mix bleach with ammonia or other cleaners
• Open windows and doors before using bleach
• Wear an N95 respirator, goggles and gloves
• Make sure mold cleanup is finished before moving back in

People with asthma, other lung conditions or a weakened immune system should stay out of buildings with visible or smelly mold.

Ready.gov advises photographing damage and contacting your insurer.

The NCTSN advises parents not to overdo cleanup after a hurricane, since heavy lifting and long hours can lead to injury. The CDC suggests working in teams and not lifting more than 50 pounds per person.

The NCTSN also suggests putting off major, life-changing decisions during this stressful time if you can.

Watching water-soaked belongings go into a dumpster can feel like losing pieces of your story. Missing “just things” is normal.

After Hurricane Katrina, unresolved storm-related stresses explained much of the rise in mental health problems over time. Long waits are not just annoying. They can affect your wellbeing.

For questions about FEMA disaster assistance, apply at DisasterAssistance.gov or call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in your time zone, 7 days a week.

A study of Florida residents found that people didn’t get used to repeated hurricanes. Responses to later storms tended to be more negative, not less.

If you’ve been through this before, it makes sense if this time feels heavier. That’s a reason to ask for more support, not to blame yourself.

The NCTSN says children may

• Be more sensitive to thunder, wind and loud noises
• Become clingy, or worry about being apart from family
• Feel anxious about future storm warnings
• Go back to younger behaviours, like baby talk or bedwetting
• Have headaches or stomach aches
• Have changes in sleep or appetite
• Play out or talk about the storm over and over
• Seem more irritable, restless or withdrawn

The NCTSN suggests using family times, like meals, to talk. Answer questions briefly and honestly, and ask children for their ideas too. Questions may come up again and again as things change.

Children may feel anxious about being apart from parents at bedtime. The NCTSN suggests extra time together at bedtime, like reading a book.

It’s okay for young children to sleep with you for a while, with a plan to return to their usual arrangement on a set date.

The NCTSN says children cope better when they feel they’re helping, and suggests giving them small tasks, then a break for play.

Ready.gov says children should not do disaster cleanup work. Choose safe jobs away from mold, debris and floodwater, like sorting dry toys, drawing thank-you cards or helping with meals.

The NCTSN suggests

• Find community programmes with child-friendly activities when usual activities are cancelled
• Keep family rules and expectations
• Keep to routines like meals and bedtime as much as you can
• Limit how much storm coverage children see
• Listen to what adults are saying around them, since children can misunderstand
• Tell them what’s being done to fix power, water and homes

The NCTSN advises talking with a mental health professional if a child is still having difficulties more than six weeks after a hurricane.

The NCTSN notes that after a hurricane, children may be more sensitive to thunder, wind and loud noises, and more anxious about future warnings. Many adults feel this too.

Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1. For many survivors, the start of the season is a reminder in itself.

Using that time to update your plan and supplies can turn dread into action.

SAMHSA suggests

• Allow yourself to feel angry or sad. These feelings are natural
• Be gentle with yourself
• Lean on faith or spiritual support if that helps you
• Let the people in your life show they care
• Talk about your losses with someone you trust

Ways to help after a flood

• Babysit while parents deal with insurance or repairs
• Bring a hot meal or a cooler of drinks
• Help with forms or phone calls
• Lend tools, fans or a place to do laundry
• Offer a spare room or a shower

The National Center for PTSD suggests

• Find a quiet time and place to talk
• Just be with them, and let them know they’re not alone
• Let them talk without interrupting, as much as you can
• Offer to talk again any time
• Show interest and care, without judgment

The National Center for PTSD warns that when people play down a survivor’s problems or pain, it is strongly linked to longer-lasting distress.

Try not to say

• “At least it was only stuff.”
• “It could have been worse.”
• “Why didn’t you leave sooner?”
• “You should be over it by now.”

Social support is one of the strongest keys to recovery after disasters. Community gatherings, faith groups and clean-up days can offer safety, calm, connection and hope all at once.

SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline is for anyone in the U.S. and its territories feeling distress related to a disaster, including survivors, families, responders and clergy. You can reach out for yourself or someone else.

• Call or text 1-800-985-5990
• For Spanish, press 2
• Interpreters in over 100 languages
• Deaf and hard of hearing callers can use their preferred relay service

If you’re thinking about suicide or are in emotional crisis, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It’s free, confidential and open 24/7.

Apply for FEMA disaster assistance at DisasterAssistance.gov, or call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362. It’s open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in your time zone, 7 days a week. Press 2 for Spanish, and 711 or Video Relay Service is available.

SAMHSA suggests talking with a counsellor or mental health professional, or a trusted faith or spiritual leader. At work, an Employee Assistance Program may be able to help.

Please talk to your clinical provider or therapist about what’s right for you.

Find A Helpline (findahelpline.com) is a free global directory of support lines, which the International Association for Suicide Prevention points people to.