Flood-affected in the Himalayas struggle to make sense of annual floods, cloud busts and landslides

January 4, 2026

Devastating floods in June struck Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh, India, killing 173 people and leaving survivors grappling with severe psychological trauma alongside physical losses. Residents like Balaram Singh, who lost half his family to the Beas river's flooding, and Kamala Devi, whose rebuilt home was destroyed for a second time, exemplify how repeated climate disasters are eroding community resilience and causing post-traumatic stress symptoms. Mental health professionals report that survivors exhibit constant anxiety, disrupted sleep, and persistent fear of future catastrophes, worsened by awareness that unplanned construction in vulnerable zones has intensified disaster risks.

Who is affected

Balaram Singh (72-year-old land revenue official who lost his son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren)
Kamala Devi (70-year-old resident whose house was destroyed twice by floods)
Bhupendra Chauhan (33-year-old hardware store owner who nearly lost his wife and two children)
Bhavana Thakur (woman whose husband went missing during the floods)
Residents of Thunag village and Mandi district
173 people killed in the June floods (one-third from Mandi district)
Families of flood victims throughout Himachal Pradesh
Kamala Devi's son (taxi driver who lost his vehicle and livelihood)

What action is being taken

Som Dev and the Seraj Student Welfare Association are helping flood-affected families in Thunag
Mental health professional Guddo Sharma is treating flood victims exhibiting post-traumatic stress symptoms
Authorities are providing routine relief measures in response to natural disasters

Why it matters

This crisis matters because repeated climate-related disasters are causing long-term psychological damage that extends far beyond immediate physical destruction. The mental health impacts—including post-traumatic stress, constant anxiety, disrupted sleep, and diminished emotional resilience—are creating a secondary humanitarian crisis that affects survivors' ability to rebuild their lives. The situation is particularly significant because these disasters are partially human-caused through unplanned construction in vulnerable areas, making the trauma harder to process, and because current government responses focus primarily on financial relief while largely ignoring the critical need for psychological support and mental health services.

What's next

An action plan on "Climate Change and Mental Health" under the National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health was launched in 2024, though its ground-level impacts are not yet evident
Search and rescue operations were being conducted until July for missing people
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced an immediate relief package of INR 7 crore in July
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a financial assistance package of INR 1,500 crore in September

Read full article from source: Global Voices