An approach to understanding the intrinsic complexity of resilience against floods: Evidences from three urban communities of Pakistan

Irfan Ahmad Rana, Saad Saleem Bhatti, Ali Jamshed, Shakil Ahmad

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Abstract

Rapid and unplanned urbanization has resulted in the settlement and expansion of marginalized communities in flood-prone areas. Consequently, the devastating impacts of urban flooding have increased recently, further augmented by the changing climatic patterns resulting in more frequent flooding. However, to effectively enhance resilience at the community level, it is essential first to understand its components and indicators. This study proposed and tested a methodology to assess community resilience against urban flooding – 57 indicators of resilience were identified, which were classified into six domains, namely social, economic, infrastructural, institutional, natural, and psychological. The data was collected through a questionnaire survey in three communities of Rawalpindi, Sialkot, and Muzaffargarh cities in the province of Punjab, Pakistan. The data of resilience indicators were standardized, and an index-based approach was used to assess the community resilience in the six domains. The relative importance of each domain was evaluated through input from field experts translated into weights through the analytic hierarchy process method. Thereafter, overall community resilience was constructed, and statistical methods were employed to compare resilience and its domains. A significant difference in resilience was observed among the selected communities. Recommendations based on relative urgency, complexity, and impact were devised to help institutions make informed decisions to improve community resilience against floods.
Original languageEnglish
Article number102442
JournalInternational Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction
Volume63
Early online date3 Jul 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 30 Sept 2021

Keywords

  • capacity
  • climate change adaptation
  • disaster risk reduction
  • Pakistan
  • Urban flooding
  • Capacity
  • Disaster risk reduction
  • Climate change adaptation

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