Community preparedness for earthquake disasters: A preliminary assessment of awareness and disaster infrastructure response in Cianjur, West Java-Indonesia

Abstract

Background The danger of earthquakes poses a serious threat to people worldwide. One of the most significant challenges is preparing communities to cope effectively with this disaster. Therefore, understanding earthquake hazards is critically important for preparedness, mitigation, and an effective response to this threat. This report aims to observe and conduct a preliminary assessment of the degree to which community preparedness for earthquake disasters has been implemented. Methods Empirical data were obtained from survey respondents and interviews. The respondents were members of a community affected by the Cianjur earthquake, which occurred on November 21, 2022. The data were analysed using the mean range approach, based on Likert scales. Additionally, the Spearman correlation method was employed to indicate the relationship between community awareness and infrastructure readiness. Result Based on empirical evidence and preliminary analysis, it is evident that the preparedness of the community to respond effectively to earthquake catastrophes is inadequate. An apparent lack of readiness is observed in the inadequate construction of housing that fails to meet disaster standards, and the absence of disaster response facilities is notable. Conclusions Based on our initial assumption, it appears that knowledge related to disaster resilience in this area has not been adequately disseminated or socialized. However, this premise requires further investigation.