Towards understanding flood risk and coping ability: Persisting gaps, adaptation measures and theoretical perspectives

Abstract

Abstract Flood risk and coping ability is a major research thrust for appraisal in coastal areas of South Africa considering forecasts of looming flood events. This paper employed literature synthesis of relevant flood risk erudition, theoretical underpinnings of Social Vulnerability Theory (SVT) and Protective Motivation Theory (PMT) in conjunction with a field survey to understand flood risk and coping ability. Methods/models/data for flood risk evaluation in the literature synthesis were broadly classified into 5 types; (1) Approaches utilizing space-based solution (2) human-based solution (3) nature-based solution (4) financial-based solution and (5) Theoretical based approach. However, there is limited knowledge of cognitive, sociocultural, and psychological mechanisms in the flood risk scholarship in line with social responses in a flood event. To understand flood risks and damages on the society and to realise its psychological consequences, this knowledge is important. I surveyed (n = 150), a set of cognitive, and sociocultural key informants from the study area. This study recorded flood as the most predominant hydro-meteorological hazard (n = 118, 81.9%) in East London, coastal city. Findings show that all the nine indicators presented to capture extreme environmental events adaptation measures are extremely lacking. The findings presented in this study are fundamental in reaching the sustainable development goals (SDGs) goal 11: sustainable cities and communities, goal 13: climate action including the seven targets and four priorities for action of the Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction at a local level.