Identifying Cyclone Shelter Facilities and Limitations for Enhancing Community Resiliency in Coastal Areas of Bangladesh

Abstract

Amtali is a vulnerable coastal Upazila in the Barguna district of Bangladesh. It is more vulnerable to cyclone disasters. The devastating cyclone is frequently a phenomenon here. Cyclone shelter is a structural measure to decrease cyclone vulnerabilities. The main purpose of this study is to identify facilities and problems of the cyclone shelter from the people's perceptions of the study space. To accomplish the aim, a semi-structured, household questionnaire (100 individual responses) survey is used. Besides ten key informer interviews are also used to authenticate the collected information. The key findings of these lessons are insufficient shelter facilities (65% opined), unhealthy sanitation, scarcity of safe drinking water, inadequate medical facilities, limited or almost no facilities for women, especially for pregnant women. Overall facilities are not enough for the public. Perception shows that women are more vulnerable due to improper management of shelter including harassment. Many types of limitations are found in the shelters. For those reasons, individuals don’t seem to be interested to travel to cyclone shelters. Proper early warning as well as information dissemination systems are not well developed and not properly working in due times. About 70% of respondents viewed that the supervision method of cyclone shelters is unhealthy, unhygienic, and unsatisfactory levels. For enhancing people's encouragement and participation to go to cyclone shelters, healthy sanitation, safe beverage provides, proper medical facilities, separate rooms, and bogs for women must be needed to build the community more resilient. Sufficient and frequent training on cyclone shelter usability and management, communities' early warning understanding and reception, awareness-raising programs, and proper information on disaster management should be strengthened for enhancing community resiliency to cyclonic disasters.