Climate disasters, such as floods, cyclones, and bushfires, present risks to mental health. Tracking populations through increasingly frequent climate disasters and understanding what contributes to mental health risks is crucial for adaption and planning for a climate changed world. 

This article finds that additional disaster exposures were associated with greater declines in mental health and shifts in some risk factors. Multiple disaster exposures must be urgently considered in public health, welfare and disaster services. Mental health screening, counselling, interventions and disaster service planning should specifically address the history, timing and severity of previous disaster exposures in individuals and communities. 

Key findings

• Mental health effects became more severe with successive disasters.
• Recovery to a pre-disaster baseline was more delayed with repeat disaster exposures.
• Risk factors that shape mental health trajectories either remained consistent across multiple exposures or became more salient during subsequent exposures.