Natural Hazards and Social Vulnerability of Place: The StrengthBased Approach Applied to Wollongong, Australia

Robert I. Ogie; Biswajeet Pradhan

doi:10.1007/s13753-019-0224-y

Article Contents

Article Navigation > International Journal of Disaster Risk Science > 2019 > 10(3): 404-420

Robert I. Ogie, Biswajeet Pradhan. Natural Hazards and Social Vulnerability of Place: The StrengthBased Approach Applied to Wollongong, Australia[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2019, 10(3): 404-420. doi: 10.1007/s13753-019-0224-y

Citation:

Robert I. Ogie, Biswajeet Pradhan. Natural Hazards and Social Vulnerability of Place: The StrengthBased Approach Applied to Wollongong, Australia[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2019, 10(3): 404-420. doi: 10.1007/s13753-019-0224-y

Citation:

PDF

Natural Hazards and Social Vulnerability of Place: The StrengthBased Approach Applied to Wollongong, Australia

doi: 10.1007/s13753-019-0224-y

Robert I. Ogie^{1
,
,},
Biswajeet Pradhan^2,3

1 Smart Infrastructure Facility, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia;
2 Centre for Advanced Modelling and Geospatial Information Systems(CAMGIS), University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia;
3 Department of Energy and Mineral Resources Engineering, Choongmu-gwan, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea

Available Online: 2021-04-26

Abstract

Abstract

Natural hazards pose significant threats to different communities and various places around the world. Failing to identify and support the most vulnerable communities is a recipe for disaster. Many studies have proposed social vulnerability indices for measuring both the sensitivity of a population to natural hazards and its ability to respond and recover from them. Existing techniques, however, have not accounted for the unique strengths that exist within different communities to help minimize disaster loss. This study proposes a more balanced approach referred to as the strength-based social vulnerability index (SSVI). The proposed SSVI technique, which is built on sound sociopsychological theories of how people act during disasters and emergencies, is applied to assess comparatively the social vulnerability of different suburbs in the Wollongong area of New South Wales, Australia. The results highlight suburbs that are highly vulnerable, and demonstrates the usefulness of the technique in improving understanding of hotspots where limited resources should be judiciously allocated to help communities improve preparedness, response, and recovery from natural hazards.
- Australia,
- Disaster vulnerability,
- Natural hazard,
- Placed-based model,
- Sense of community,
- Strength-based approach

FullText(HTML)

References(72)

References

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics). 2018. Census. https://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/D3310114.nsf/home/census. Accessed 13 Mar 2019.

Ahmed, A. 2011. Use of social media in disaster management. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS), 4-7 December 2011, Shanghai, China.

Ajibade, I., G. McBean, and R. Bezner-Kerr. 2013. Urban flooding in Lagos, Nigeria:Patterns of vulnerability and resilience among women. Global Environmental Change 23(6):1714-1725.

Aksha, S.K., L. Juran, L.M. Resler, and Y. Zhang. 2019. An analysis of social vulnerability to natural hazards in Nepal using a modified social vulnerability index. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 10(1):103-116.

Bernardini, S., and D. Hart. 2011. A paradise built in hell:The extraordinary communities that arise in disaster. Journal of Moral Education 40(1):123-125.

Briones, F., R. Vachon, and M. Glantz. 2019. Local responses to disasters:Recent lessons from zero-order responders. Disaster Prevention and Management:An International Journal 28(1):119-125.

Buchholz, S., D. Hofäcker, M. Mills, H.P. Blossfeld, K. Kurz, and H. Hofmeister. 2008. Life courses in the globalization process:The development of social inequalities in modern societies. European Sociological Review 25(1):53-71.

Buffel, T. 2017. Ageing migrants and the creation of home:Mobility and the maintenance of transnational ties. Population, Space and Place 23(5):1-13.

Buldyrev, S.V., R. Parshani, G. Paul, H.E. Stanley, and S. Havlin. 2010. Catastrophic cascade of failures in interdependent networks. Nature 464(7291):1025-1028.

Cannon, T. 1994. Vulnerability analysis and the explanation of "natural" disasters. In Disasters, development and environment, ed. A. Varley, 3-30. Chichester, England; Brisbane, Australia:J. Wiley.

Chakraborty, J., G.A. Tobin, and B.E. Montz. 2005. Population evacuation:Assessing spatial variability in geophysical risk and social vulnerability to natural hazards. Natural Hazards Review 6(1):23-33.

Chambers, R. 1994. The origins and practice of participatory rural appraisal. World Development 22(7):953-969.

Chen, W., S.L. Cutter, C.T. Emrich, and P. Shi. 2013. Measuring social vulnerability to natural hazards in the Yangtze River Delta region, China. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 4(4):169-181.

Chiwaka, E., and R. Yates. 2010. Participatory vulnerability analysis, a step by step guide for field staff. Dorset:Action Aid International.

Clarke, L. 2002. Panic:Myth or reality? Contexts 1(3):21-26.

Clarke, L., and C. Chess. 2008. Elites and panic:More to fear than fear itself. Social Forces 87(2):993-1014.

CRED (Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters). 2018. The Emergency Events Database. Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium. https://www.emdat.be. Accessed 29 Dec 2018.

Cutter, S.L., and C. Finch. 2008. Temporal and spatial changes in social vulnerability to natural hazards. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105(7):2301-2306.

de Loyola Hummell, B.M., S.L. Cutter, and C.T. Emrich. 2016. Social vulnerability to natural hazards in Brazil. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 7(2):111-122.

Drury, J., R. Brown, R. González, and D. Miranda. 2016. Emergent social identity and observing social support predict social support provided by survivors in a disaster:Solidarity in the 2010 Chile earthquake. European Journal of Social Psychology 46(2):209-223.

Dwyer, A., C. Zoppou, O. Nielsen, S. Day, and S. Roberts. 2004. Quantifying social vulnerability:A methodology for identifying those at risk to natural hazards. Geoscience Australia Record 2004/14. Canberra City:Commonwealth of Australia.

Ehlen, M.A., and A.J. Scholand. 2005. Modeling interdependencies between power and economic sectors using the N-ABLE agent based model. In Proceedings of the IEEE Power Engineering Society General Meeting, San Francisco, CA, June 12-16, 2005. Vol. 3:2842-2846.

Erden, T., and H. Karaman. 2012. Analysis of earthquake parameters to generate hazard maps by integrating AHP and GIS for Küçükçekmece region. Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences 12(2):475-483.

Eusgeld, I., W. Kröger, G. Sansavini, M. Schläpfer, and E. Zio. 2009. The role of network theory and object-oriented modeling within a framework for the vulnerability analysis of critical infrastructures. Reliability Engineering & System Safety 94(5):954-963.

Fair Work Ombudsman. 2016. Be prepared-Wage rate changes tomorrow. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/about-us/news-and-media-releases/archived-media-releases/2016-media-releases/june-2016/20160630-minimum-wage-increase-mr. Accessed 30 Mar 2019.

Fernandez, L.S., D. Byard, C.C. Lin, S. Benson, and J.A. Barbera. 2002. Frail elderly as disaster victims:Emergency management strategies. Prehospital and Disaster Medicine 17(2):67-74.

Flanagan, B.E., E.W. Gregory, E.J. Hallisey, J.L. Heitgerd, and B. Lewis. 2011. A social vulnerability index for disaster management. Journal of Homeland Security and Emergency Management 8(1):1-22.

Flentje, P., and R.N. Chowdhury. 2005. Managing landslide hazards on the Illawarra escarpment. In Proceedings of the GeoQuest Symposium on Planning for Natural Hazards-How can we mitigate the impacts? 2-5 February 2005, Wollongong, Australia, eds. R.J. Morrison, S. Quinn, and E.A. Bryant, 65-78. Wollongong:GeoQuest Research Centre, University of Wollongong.

Frigerio, I., F. Carnelli, M. Cabinio, and M. De Amicis. 2018. Spatiotemporal pattern of social vulnerability in Italy. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 9(2):249-262.

Giving Australia. 2016. Individuals:Volunteering overview. https://www.communitybusinesspartnership.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/giving_australia_2016_fact_sheet_-_individual_volunteering_accessible.pdf. Accessed 10 Apr 2019.

Haimes, Y.Y., B.M. Horowitz, J.H. Lambert, J.R. Santos, C. Lian, and K.G. Crowther. 2005. Inoperability input-output model for interdependent infrastructure sectors. I:Theory and methodology. Journal of Infrastructure Systems 11(2):67-79.

Holmgren, Å.J. 2006. Using graph models to analyze the vulnerability of electric power networks. Risk Analysis 26(4):955-969.

Huang, J., Y. Liu, and L. Ma. 2011. Assessment of regional vulnerability to natural hazards in China using a DEA model. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 2(2):41-48.

Jencson, L. 2001. Disastrous rites:Liminality and communitas in a flood crisis. Anthropology and Humanism 26(1):46-58.

Kaniasty, K., and F. Norris. 1999. The experience of disaster:Individuals and communities sharing trauma. In Response to disaster:Psychosocial, community, and ecological approaches, ed. R. Gist, and B. Lubin, 25-61. Philadelphia, PA:Brunner/Mazel.

Kuhlicke, C., A. Scolobig, S. Tapsell, A. Steinführer, and B. De Marchi. 2011. Contextualizing social vulnerability:Findings from case studies across Europe. Natural Hazards 58(2):789-810

Lin, K.H.E., and C. Polsky. 2016. Indexing livelihood vulnerability to the effects of typhoons in indigenous communities in Taiwan. The Geographical Journal 182(2):135-152.

McGuirk, P., and P. O'Neill. 2012. Critical geographies with the state:The problem of social vulnerability and the politics of engaged research. Antipode 44(4):1374-1394.

Mercer, J., D. Dominey-Howes, I. Kelman, and K. Lloyd. 2007. The potential for combining indigenous and western knowledge in reducing vulnerability to environmental hazards in small island developing states. Environmental Hazards 7(4):245-256.

Miller, M., D. Paton, and D. Johnston. 1999. Community vulnerability to volcanic hazard consequences. Disaster Prevention and Management 8(4):255-260.

Ngo, E.B. 2001. When disasters and age collide:Reviewing vulnerability of the elderly. Natural Hazards Review 2(2):80-89.

OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development). 2018. Compare your income-Methodology and conceptual issues. https://www.oecd.org/statistics/Compare-your-income-methodology.pdf. Accessed 15 Mar 2019.

Ogie, R.I., S. Dunn, T. Holderness, and E. Turpin. 2017. Assessing the vulnerability of pumping stations to trash blockage in coastal mega-cities of developing nations. Sustainable Cities and Society 28:53-66.

Ogie, R.I., T. Holderness, S. Dunn, and E. Turpin. 2016. Vulnerability analysis of hydrological infrastructure to flooding in coastal cities-A graph theory approach. In Transforming the Future of Infrastructure through Smarter Information:Proceedings of the International Conference on Smart Infrastructure and Construction (ICSIC), 27-29 June 2016, Cambridge, UK, eds. R.J. Mair, K. Soga, Y. Jin, A. Parlikad, J.M. Schooling, 633-644. London:ICE Publishing.

Ogie, R.I., T. Holderness, S. Dunn, and E. Turpin. 2018. Assessing the vulnerability of hydrological infrastructure to flood damage in coastal cities of developing nations. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 68:97-109.

Ogie, R.I., N. Shukla, F. Sedlar, and T. Holderness. 2017. Optimal placement of water-level sensors to facilitate data-driven management of hydrological infrastructure assets in coastal mega-cities of developing nations. Sustainable Cities and Society 35:385-395.

Oliver-Smith, A. 2012. The brotherhood of pain:Theoretical and applied perspectives on post-disaster solidarity. In The angry earth:Disaster in anthropological perspective, ed. A. Oliver-Smith, and S.M. Hoffman, 170-186. New York:Routledge.

Paton, D., and D. Johnston. 2001. Disasters and communities:Vulnerability, resilience and preparedness. Disaster Prevention and Management 10(4):270-277.

Palamakumbure, D., D. Stirling, P. Flentje, and R. Chowdhury. 2015. ArcGIS V. 10 landslide susceptibility data mining add-in tool integrating data mining and GIS techniques to model landslide susceptibility. Engineering Geology for Society and Territory. IAEG (International Association for Engineering Geology and the Environment) XII Congress, 15-19 September, 2014, Turin, Italy. Vol. 2:Landslide Processes, eds. G. Lollino, D. Giordan, G.B. Crosta, J. Corominas, and R. Azzam, 1191-1194. Cham, Switzerland:Springer.

Phillips, B.D., and B.H. Morrow. 2007. Social science research needs:Focus on vulnerable populations, forecasting, and warnings. Natural Hazards Review 8(3):61-68.

Pradhan, B. 2010. Flood susceptible mapping and risk area delineation using logistic regression, GIS and remote sensing. Journal of Spatial Hydrology 9(2):1-18.

Pradhan, B., M.D.H.B. Suliman, and M.A.B. Awang. 2007. Forest fire susceptibility and risk mapping using remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS). Disaster Prevention and Management:An International Journal 16(3):344-352.

Rahman, M.M., U. Barua, F. Khatun, I. Islam, and R. Rafiq. 2018. Participatory Vulnerability Reduction (PVR):An urban community-based approach for earthquake management. Natural Hazards 93(3):1479-1505.

Rufat, S., E. Tate, C.G. Burton, and A.S. Maroof. 2015. Social vulnerability to floods:Review of case studies and implications for measurement. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 14(Part 4):470-486.

Rygel, L., D. O'sullivan, and B. Yarnal. 2006. A method for constructing a social vulnerability index:An application to hurricane storm surges in a developed country. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change 11(3):741-764.

Saegert, S. 1989. Unlikely leaders, extreme circumstances:Older black women building community households. American Journal of Community Psychology 17(3):295-316.

Salami, R.O., J.K. von Meding, and H. Giggins. 2017. Urban settlements' vulnerability to flood risks in African cities:A conceptual framework. Jàmbá:Journal of Disaster Risk Studies 9(1):1-9.

Schoenwald, D.A., D.C. Barton, and M.A. Ehlen. 2004. An agent-based simulation laboratory for economics and infrastructure interdependency. In Proceedings of the 2004 American Control Conference, June 30-July 2, 2004, Boston, Massachusetts. Vol. 2:1295-1300. Evanston, IL:American Automatic Control Council; Piscataway, NJ:IEEE, 2004

Setola, R., S. De Porcellinis, and M. Sforna. 2009. Critical infrastructure dependency assessment using the input-output inoperability model. International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection 2(4):170-178.

Schmidtlein, M.C., R.C. Deutsch, W.W. Piegorsch, and S.L. Cutter. 2008. A sensitivity analysis of the social vulnerability index. Risk Analysis:An International Journal 28(4):1099-1114.

Soehl, T. 2016. But do they speak it? The intergenerational transmission of home-country language in migrant families in France. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 42(9):1513-1535.

Solnit, R. 2009. A paradise built in hell:The extraordinary communities that arise in disaster. New York:Viking Adult.

Sun, Y., P.H. Chau, M. Wong, and J. Woo. 2017. Place-and age-responsive disaster risk reduction for Hong Kong:Collaborative place audit and social vulnerability index for elders. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science 8(2):121-133.

Tapsell, S., S. McCarthy, H. Faulkner, and M. Alexander. 2010. Social vulnerability to natural hazards, CapHaz-Net WP4 Report. London:Flood Hazard Research Centre (FHRC).

Thein, A.K., R. Gregory, M. Akester, F. Poulain, and R. Langeard. 2019. Participatory rural appraisal:Vulnerability study of Ayeyarwady delta fishing communities in Myanmar and social protection opportunities. FAO Fisheries and Aquaculture Circular No. 1177. Rome:FAO.

Titz, A., T. Cannon, and F. Krüger. 2018. Uncovering ‘community’:Challenging an elusive concept in development and disaster related work. Societies 8(3):1-28.

Turner, J.C., and K.J. Reynolds. 2011. Self-categorization theory. In Handbook of theories in social psychology, ed. P.A.M. Van Lange, A.W. Kruglanski, and E.T. Higgins, 399-417. London:SAGE.

Whittaker, J., B. McLennan, and J. Handmer. 2015. A review of informal volunteerism in emergencies and disasters:Definition, opportunities and challenges. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 13:358-368.

Wilhelmi, O.V., and M.H. Hayden. 2010. Connecting people and place:A new framework for reducing urban vulnerability to extreme heat. Environmental Research Letters 5(1):Article 014021.

Wisner, B., P. Blaikie, T. Cannon, and I. Davis. 2003. At risk:Natural hazards, people's vulnerability and disasters, 2nd edn. London:Routledge.

Yoon, D.K. 2012. Assessment of social vulnerability to natural disasters:A comparative study. Natural Hazards 63(2):823-843.

Zahran, S., S.D. Brody, W.G. Peacock, A. Vedlitz, and H. Grover. 2008. Social vulnerability and the natural and built environment:A model of flood casualties in Texas. Disasters 32(4):537-560.

Relative Articles

Supplements(0)

Cited By

Proportional views