Stefania Maggi, a psychology professor at Carleton University, said an extreme weather event — such as a fire, flood and heat wave — can leave lasting emotional consequences.
FREDERICTON — Jennifer Moore was helping a neighbour on flood-prone Stannus Street, in Windsor, N.S., last week when she fell face first in waist-deep brown water in her driveway.
At times, she added, she isn't sure if symptoms like headaches, nausea and diarrhea are simply part of a stress response or a physical condition caused by exposure to the latest climate disaster in her town. Moore, who bought her Nova Scotia property in 2009, said that since 2021 she's had to use her industrial-sized pump to flush out about 1.2 to 1.5 metres of sewage water from her basement on three occasions. "It's very, very emotional" and "panic inducing" each time a weather alert calls for thunderstorms in the valley, she said.
"Often, there is this overwhelming feeling that climate change is so big and such a difficult challenge to overcome that we feel powerless," she said in a recent interview. "These are all common responses to a traumatic experience, she said. "Typically, these are short-term effects that tend to resolve after several days or a few weeks, but occasionally, they will last for longer periods of time such as several weeks or months."
For Dunfield, part of the distress is the sense that municipal and provincial political leaders aren't moving quickly enough to repair and upgrade infrastructure — or provide reasonable offers to buy their homes. Meanwhile, moving isn't an option due to the low prices offered for homes in her area.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
BEYOND LOCAL: 'Boy in the Woods' a story of Holocaust survival, says its real-life inspirationMaxwell Smart was just 11 years old when he lost his family in the Holocaust.
Read more »
BEYOND LOCAL: Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann to row in Paralympic GamesThe 24-year-old will be among approximately 140 Canadians competing in the Paralympic Games in Paris from Aug. 28 to Sept. 8
Read more »
BEYOND LOCAL: Caeli McKay leads young Canadian diving team into Paris OlympicsThe 24-year-old from Calgary was among five athletes named to the team Wednesday by Diving Canada and the Canadian Olympic Committee
Read more »
BEYOND LOCAL: Amazon says this year's Prime Day was its biggest everAdobe Analytics, which tracks online sales, said consumers spent $14.2 billion on Tuesday and Wednesday, up 11% compared to last year
Read more »
BEYOND LOCAL: Lawyer who prosecuted Alice Munro's husband unsurprised case stayed hidden for yearsWhen Munro’s youngest daughter Andrea Robin Skinner revealed in the Toronto Star that her mother chose to stay with Fremlin after learning of the abuse, many wondered why the story stayed hidden for so long
Read more »
BEYOND LOCAL: Canadian men look to reach FIFA U-20 World Cup after lengthy absenceCanada has not taken part in the FIFA U-20 soccer showcase since it hosted the event in 2007 — and has not qualified since 2005
Read more »