This study applies a human security perspective in analyzing the consequences of the 2010/11 Canterbury (New Zealand) earthquakes and the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami. It explores different factors that shape the vulnerability and resilience of individuals to natural hazards. We hypothesize that individuals differ in their vulnerability to-and capacity to recover from-disasters resulting from their demographic, social and economic characteristics. We take a closer look at how these disasters have affected the lives of a group of Filipino migrants and how they are able to cope with and recover from these calamitous experiences. Our analysis indicates that during natural disasters social competence (awareness, attitude, knowledge, communication skills) and social networks are very important mechanisms for coping and building resilience.
In this study, we examine the factors that influence how migrants cope after a natural disaster. We surveyed two different samples of migrants: Filipinos living in Japan after the 2011 Great East Japan earthquake and tsunami and Filipinos living in New Zealand during the 2010/11 Christchurch earthquakes. We examine their risk perception and capability to manage risk on two levels: self-help and mutual assistance and we hypothesize that if migrants are proactive in information gathering and community involvement, they are more likely to be resilient, to self-help and to assist others. Survey responses were analysed using a multinomial logit model yielding results that show how socioeconomic factors affect migrant capability for self-help and mutual assistance and dependence on public or government assistance. Our results suggest that the migrants with the following characteristics are likely to be resilient: (1) long-staying, educated, and permanently employed; (2) engaged in communities, (3) share/discuss disaster risk-reduction (DRR) information; (4) those who have a lower perception of risks and less conscious of other's needs are less likely to be resilient. On the other hand, testing for vulnerability, we find that the average probability of experiencing some serious damage is higher, for migrants: (1) without social or community involvement, (2) who are only somewhat conscious of the risks and needs of others, and (3) have no or few sources of information.
Empathy breeds social innovation and good leadership. This brief note is an initial exploration of the enablers of social innovation at the grassroots level where it matters most in a crisis. We focus on the need for individuals or groups who can implement plans of action that help whole communities respond and recover from a crisis. The distinguishing features of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake are compared with profiles of the leaders commended for their selfless acts in crisis response and management.
Several studies show that the lack of information about the scale of disaster risks contributed to the increased vulnerability of many people affected by Typhoon Haiyan in 2013. A conceptual framework based on the behavioural intention model is used to examine how demographic attributes, experience of disaster occurrence, knowledge about natural hazards and community-based disaster risk reduction efforts affect disaster risk perception. We analyse how effective disaster knowledge and community efforts are in raising risk awareness and influencing risk reduction behaviour. A questionnaire survey is conducted among households living in the cities of Tacloban, Palo and Tanauan, located along the northeastern coast of Leyte, Philippines. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), we empirically test hypotheses on risk perception and behavioural intention to reduce disaster risk using data from 282 households. We attempt to investigate how risk perception and risk reduction behaviour are affected by two elements that we think can be potentially harnessed for sustainability of the build-back-better process: (a) knowledge about disasters and (b) community efforts. Our results show model compatibility for the variables (1) disaster experience, (2) risk perception and (3) knowledge about natural hazards. On the other hand, we find weak model compatibility for the variables (1) disaster education and (2) community efforts.
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