Kathmandu, Children waking from nightmares believing the flood has returned, adults struggling with fear and anxiety, families separated by raging waters desperately trying to find one another Nepal's devastating floods have left behind a psychological toll that is only now beginning to emerge.
As the country grapples with its deadliest floods in a decade, mental health workers are seeing the first signs of a trauma that is less visible than the destruction around them.
With the death toll crossing 900 and nearly 4,000 people still missing, the trauma of loss, displacement and uncertainty is settling in among thousands of survivors, prompting the government to step up its mental health response.
To address the psychological impact of the disaster, the government has deployed around 50 psychiatrists, psychologists and psychosocial counsellors across the worst-hit Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts, The Kathmandu Post newspaper reported on Tuesday, quoting officials.
Another 64 trained counsellors are on standby in Bagmati Province as authorities prepare for a potentially prolonged need for psychosocial support, the report said.
