Natural disasters are unforeseen events which occur at hydrologic, geologic, and atmospheric origins. The Policy-makers still rely on mitigation strategies based on scientific approaches. However, many scholars had emphasized the importance of incorporating local knowledge and related practices for disaster risk management. In that context, this study investigates the local knowledge in adaptation to mitigate the landslides disaster situations by studying a village in Sri Lanka which is located at the central region of Sri Lanka which is vulnerable for landslide disasters. Landslides is one of the severe types of disasters in hilly terrains and which cause to loss of lives and property damages especially in Asia region. This study employed the field surveys, questionnaire surveys and semi structured interviews for data collection. The findings of the research indicate how the local knowledge-based practices in settlement layout & planning, landscaping had enhanced disaster adaptation level of the community. Further the local knowledge-based value systems act as a strong mechanism in identifying early signs of landslide disasters. Finally, the paper discusses the possibilities of upscaling such local practices for mainstream disaster management practices.
Rural depopulation in mountain communities is now well acknowledged as one of the salient challenges faced by Japan which made them more susceptible to landslide disasters with intense weather conditions. The degradation of the traditional culture due to the rapid depopulation in mountainous areas leads to the permanent disappearance of the best local knowledge for landslide disasters. This study attempts to investigate the community’s landslide hazard knowledge. The research applied structural questionnaires and informal interviews for data collection. Firstly, the analysis has been conducted for identifying the main components in local knowledge on landslide disasters. Based on the component’s results, the questionnaire was developed to measure awareness on those components within the community. Finally, the cultural consensus modelling was utilized in discovering the cultural truths not in individual responses but the degree of sharing of these responses. The research outcomes suggest how the local knowledge-based practices and the consensus of local knowledge had improved the level of disaster adaptation among the community members. Moreover, the findings revealed the impact of depopulation and aging on the sustainability of the mountain community in a landslide disaster environment.
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