Assessment of vulnerability and local capacity to respond to flood disasters in Karonga district, Malawi

Abstract

Vulnerability is now a global paradigm. While conceptions of vulnerability principles vary between contexts, it primarily aims to ensure a more understanding of how natural hazards such as floods become disasters. However, vulnerability assessment in relation to disaster risk reduction (DRR) is one of the increasingly significant crosscutting disaster management issues. A review of research into DRR to date suggests that vulnerability assessment is a starting point for the development of DRR programmes. Despite vulnerability being promoted as an attractive approach, a lot of emphasis on the work of disaster management has been placed on post-event humanitarian action and relief activities, with little consideration on vulnerability assessment. Consequently, most developing countries lack a strategy to invest scarce funds to minimize the damage related to disasters. This study assessed vulnerability and local capacity in Traditional Authority Kilupula, in Karonga district of Malawi. The area was chosen because it is dominated by flood plain (flat and low lying areas) along the shores of Lake Malawi which is prone to flooding. The main purpose of the study was to assess the extent of vulnerability and local capacity to respond to flood disasters in relation to disaster risk reduction. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey utilizing both quantitative and qualitative research. Structured questionnaires and GPS receiver were used for the quantitative research while semi-structured interviews, FDGs and observation were employed for the qualitative research. It was revealed that physical (61%), social (55%), economic (55%), environmental (60%) were in the category of “very important” factors generating vulnerability while the cultural factors (37%) were in the category of “important” factors generating vulnerability. The relationship between the vulnerability factors and flood severity revealed strong, medium and weak correlation (r) values. Only the cultural factors (p-value=0.009) were significant. Several existing gaps between theory and practice in DRR and management were found. Among the gaps identified were poor relocation strategies, ineffective warning systems and weak enforcement of laws. It was also found that local coping strategies were pursued with the infrastructural being pursued most (60%), followed by social organization (34%). However, implementation coping strategies were not effective due to unwillingness of people to relocate to higher grounds. It is recommended that disaster risk reduction programmes should be promoted, but with full knowledge of the vulnerabilities of the affected communities. Further studies on the exploration of emerging needs and priorities on disaster risk reduction as mechanisms of reducing vulnerability of communities should be carried out.