PW 1368 Disaster preparedness in local community: a quantitative baseline study in coastal regions of bangladesh

Bangladesh experiences frequent natural disasters, which cause loss of life damage to infrastructure and economic assets and adversely impacts on lives and livelihoods, especially of poor people. To investigate the impact of aquatic disasters on the community and explore current disaster preparedness practices and resilience in Barisal division. A sub sample survey conducted to identify the risk factors for drowning during disaster at household and community level and understand the situation. We had conducted interview on 10% of the survey population through using systematic random sampling in 24 sub districts in Barisal Division. The 82% respondents gathered experience one or more natural disaster in the last five year, 63% respondents believed that flooding/flash flood to be the biggest threat followed by cyclones/big storms (24%). As a weather forecast information, television was the most common source of weather signals (46%) about the natural disaster that respondents had received. A high proportion of respondents (70%) reported having received warning messages such as television (45%) followed by warnings from local authorities and volunteers, at 21% each, were the most common source for receiving warning signals. The 81% respondent reported not going to any shelter, 44% believed that seeking shelter was not required and that the shelter was not easily accessible, and 38% did not seek shelter for the security of their property and for protecting their cattle (13%). The vulnerability of Bangladesh to climate change with particular reference to tropical cyclone frequency and intensity, flooding against current coping and adaptation-mitigation mechanism through local communities under coastal belt of Bangladesh. Disaster preparedness had predominately managed by individual community members. Warning signals indicates event severity, directing community members towards cyclone shelters and other protected areas of the community. Government initiatives primarily focus on protection at time of disaster and relief post-disaster.