Flood survivors on edge as BOM forecasts torrential rain in NSW

Australia Broadcast Center

9 hours ago

The return of torrential rain to parts of New South Wales could trigger anxiety for those who have endured recent flood events, according to a mental health expert.
While this week's coastal low is not expected to badly affect the Northern Rivers, the sound of rain on the roof can be enough to leave Lismore man Gary Shallala Hudson awake in the middle of the night with the taste of floodwater in his mouth.
"It's really real, I can't wash it out," he said.
The phenomenon is an unwelcome reminder of the time in 2022 when his home was rapidly going underwater and emergency services were outside trying to wake the neighbourhood up.
The 60-year-old said the flood event in May, which lashed the Hunter and Mid North Coast, kept him on high alert.
"I spend almost 24/7 watching the warnings and the weather patterns and trying to figure out what to do next," he said.
Mr Hudson said evacuating his home was now front of mind during any prolonged spell of rain.
"I'm on hyper alert pretty much of all the time," he said.
Beth Elford was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety following the 2015 floods which killed three people in the Hunter Valley town of Dungog.
She said the trauma of that event meant she too was always prepared to evacuate.
She watched her home become inundated with water in 2015 and had to help her neighbours escape before emergency service crews arrived.
"My realisation was standing in the middle of the courtyard and there was no-one," she said.
Ms Elford said she was constantly on high alert and listening out for similar sounds from the flood event.
Australian Psychological Society chief executive Zeno Burgess said she had seen an increase in the number of people suffering from trauma following disasters.
"It isn't just one disaster now, it's people who have been in multiple floods and people are traumatised by it," she said.
Dr Burgess said May floods had an enormous impact on residents and frontline workers who were also contending with the cost of living.
"People are already financially and psychologically strained," she said.
Dr Burgess said about 10 to 15 per cent of people were at risk of developing PTSD after a disaster.
"If they can't get that out of their heads, they do need some assistance to do so."
Psychologist Catherine Falco from the University of Sydney said it was important for people who have experienced disasters to stay in touch with their community.
"Look after your emotional wellbeing and be OK with all of the feelings that will come up for people when they go through a disaster," she said.
"We would be worried if people weren't impacted going through a disaster."