You might remember the images. Houses washed away, entire streets gone, cars piled up in heaps as if they were mere toys. And you might remember the headlines. Hundreds missing and scores dead amid frantic evacuation efforts.
In July 2021, catastrophic floods tore through Europe, affecting Germany and Belgium as well as the Netherlands. The Ahr Valley in Germany was one of the areas most affected by the disaster. And, shortly afterwards, it became the location for Chen Song’s doctoral research.
Chen Song
PhD research topic: Impact of the 2021 flood disasters on human social and mental health, focusing on older adults in the Ahr valley in Germany
Work: PhD candidate at the Department of Earth Observation Science, Faculty of Geo-Information Science and Earth Observation (ITC) at the University of Twente
Education: MSc in Water Management and Governance, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education
Originally from: China
Fieldwork
‘Before going there, I had seen dozens of videos and photos of the flood, but standing in the middle of the ruins was something else entirely,’ says Song. ‘Standing by half-wall houses, pieces of wooden furniture, and dirty sofas scattered at my feet, the Ahr river flowing by... it hit me hard. You can’t fully understand the scale of the devastation until you’re standing right there.’
Song traveled to the Ahr Valley to conduct fieldwork for her PhD thesis exploring the impact of flooding on mental and social health of older adults. This fieldwork, as she says, quickly became the most important – and most ‘shocking’ – part of her doctoral work.
'It was truly heartbreaking'
‘I remember when the wind blew through the empty windows, carrying that musty smell. It was truly heartbreaking,’ describes the ITC scientist. That night, she adds, Song even had a nightmare about the flood. ‘And that made me think: if just being there for a short time affected me this much, I can’t even begin to imagine what the survivors and rescue workers went through. I have so much respect for them.’
The main goal of Song’s research is to understand how the elderly population has been mentally and socially affected by the flooding and to explore the support structures that have helped or hindered their vulnerability.
A topic she chose because floods are becoming more frequent and severe due to climate change, and because their effect on older adults is often underestimated, explains Song. ‘Many older individuals face mobility challenges, social isolation, and heightened mental stress in flooding situations.’
Florida of Germany
The 2021 flood, in particular, was one of the most devastating floods in Europe in recent history. Its impact in Ahr Valley was especially serious because people over 65 years old represent 21% of the local population.
‘The area is often called the Florida of Germany, because many retired people come there to enjoy the weather and scenery,’ says Song. Due to this situation, most of the victims of the 2021 flood in the Ahr Valley were older adults. ‘In Germany, over 180 people died during the flood and about 80% of the fatalities were adults over sixty years old.’
Such a disaster often leads to increased depression, anxiety, and PTSD, especially among vulnerable groups. ‘Yet, the social and mental impact of flooding on older adults hasn’t been properly studied in Continental Europe,’ adds the doctoral candidate.
‘Floods are happening more and more, and ,at the same time, the population is aging,’ says Song. ‘We therefore need to know how this impacts the elderly, because their needs are different. Older adults are often overlooked by disaster research. I’d like to give them a voice and help ensure that they receive more targeted support.’
Many sad stories
Song has spent a lot of time in the Ahr Valley, conducting studies and interviews with the locals to understand their experiences and coping strategies. ‘The locals really welcomed me into their community,’ she says. ‘They treated me to breakfast and dinner, took me to their weekly gatherings, and even practiced Qigong with me. Doing interviews and group discussions with flooded residents and hearing their stories was really moving.’
The main issue the survivors complained about was the lack of information during the floods, recalls Song. ‘Even though there were already problems upstream, the locals didn’t receive timely notification, which would have allowed them to move faster and save some lives.’
'They still live in fear'
Through her research, Song was also able to show that the flood has had significant effects on older adults’ well-being. Survivors report increased anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress symptoms. ‘They still live in fear,’ describes the scientist. ‘They are often worried when it starts to rain, afraid that it will all happen again.’
‘So many people struggle so much after such a flood,’ says Song. ‘I remember a story of an older couple who got caught in the flood. The wife was disabled, and so the husband carried her out and held her in his arms until the moment he couldn’t hold on. The flood was too strong, and the water took her away. People found her dead body months later in the Maas River near Rotterdam. He still blames himself.’
There are many more sad stories such as this one, stresses the UT scientist, which is why she wants to use her PhD to contribute to a better understanding of how we can protect and support older adults in times of crisis. ‘We need to remember that flooding isn’t just the cost of the physical destruction but also leads to social and mental health impacts,’ she says.
Working on her PhD research has been an emotional experience for Chen Song. ‘The locals really took me in with open arms. Whenever I think of their kindness and generosity, I get tears in my eyes. I want to give my best to this research – also because I want to repay them for their trust and help.’
