Impact of the 2021 Flood Disasters on human social and mental health, focusing on elderly people in Germany

Abstract

Flooding is one of the most common environmental disasters that cause mental and physical health problems. Flooding can cause loss of life and damage to personal property and critical public health infrastructure. Elderly people are at particular risk of the effects of floods, and their implications on social and mental health. This study is being conducted in the Ahr Valley, Germany which was heavily flooded in July 2021 (Figure 1). This flood destroyed towns and villages in the valley, causing more than 180 casualties and huge material damage (Silvia et al., 2021). The sudden-onset flood disaster caught the Ahr basin residents by surprise and had an impact on the mental and social health of the affected people. This study addresses the mental and social health effects of the 2021 flooding in the Ahr Valley, Germany, on elderly people. Preliminary findings, the research approach to data collection, survey, challenges faced, and their implications on the progress of the project will be introduced.