Community adaptation and mitigation of storm and flood risk : the influence of knowledge and community perceptions in the case study of Ekurhuleni

Abstract

The role of local level governance and participation in managing climate disasters is gaining precedence in global and local (South African), discourse. In recent years, floods have caused major disasters in urban centres around the world. A lack of disaster preparedness in developing countries has resulted in much damage in urban environments. Such damage will have long-term repercussions for governance, communities and the natural environment. Heavy rainfall events are projected to become more intense and frequent due to climate change, and many recently affected areas may consequently face increased risk of flooding in future. A range of factors influences the ability to manage disasters through all phases of preparation, response and recovery at the local level. The objective of this research is to investigate the extent to which a range of factors interacts to either enhance or limit resilience to flood disasters at the local scale. This is explored through triangulating the results of three investigations into both physical and social factors of understanding and managing flood disasters. The case study of flooding in Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality (EMM) in South Africa, with specific focus on the Atlasville suburb, provides the basis of the research. The research uses a multidisciplinary approach to examine disaster management, which includes perceptions and non-technical information in addition to statistical analysis. Flooding in the EMM is used as a case study to investigate how a multiple-perspective understanding of rainfall and flood events can help communities and municipalities better plan for and manage disaster events. This research argues that in order to understand the nuances of flood disasters, a combination of different sets of knowledge is necessary, as each set of knowledge plays an important part to inform how flood risks can be managed.