When Disaster Risk Management Systems Fail: The Case of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe

Edson Munsaka; Chipo Mudavanhu; Lucy Sakala; Pepukai Manjeru; Diego Matsvange

doi:10.1007/s13753-021-00370-6

Volume 12 Issue 5

Dec. 2021

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Edson Munsaka, Chipo Mudavanhu, Lucy Sakala, Pepukai Manjeru, Diego Matsvange. When Disaster Risk Management Systems Fail: The Case of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2021, 12(5): 689-699. doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00370-6

Citation:

Edson Munsaka, Chipo Mudavanhu, Lucy Sakala, Pepukai Manjeru, Diego Matsvange. When Disaster Risk Management Systems Fail: The Case of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2021, 12(5): 689-699. doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00370-6

Citation:

Edson Munsaka, Chipo Mudavanhu, Lucy Sakala, Pepukai Manjeru, Diego Matsvange. When Disaster Risk Management Systems Fail: The Case of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe[J]. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 2021, 12(5): 689-699. doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00370-6

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When Disaster Risk Management Systems Fail: The Case of Cyclone Idai in Chimanimani District, Zimbabwe

doi: 10.1007/s13753-021-00370-6

1. Institute of Development Studies, National University of Science and Technology, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe;
2. Faculty of Humanities, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa;
3. Bindura University of Science Education, Bindura, Zimbabwe;
4. Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe;
5. DanChurch Aid (DCA), Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Funds:

We are deeply grateful to the Tsuro Trust for providing the funding for the research. Furthermore, we express our special thanks to the residents of Chimanimani District who participated in the study. The research was conducted during their moment of sorrow due to Cyclone Idai. The anonymous reviewers, whose comments improved the quality of the article, are gratefully acknowledged.

Available Online: 2021-12-25

Abstract

Abstract

On 14 March 2019, Zimbabwe was hit by Cyclone Idai, leaving immeasurable destruction of unprecedented magnitude in its wake. In Chimanimani District, many lives were lost, many people were reported missing, and others were displaced. The question that immediately comes to mind is: Was the country prepared to manage the Cyclone Idai disaster? Reflecting on the community experiences, the purpose of this research was to interrogate the strength of the disaster risk reduction legislation and institutions in Zimbabwe in the face of meteorological hazards. The research also evaluated the extent of the impact Cyclone Idai had on the Chimanimani communities and the factors that increased the vulnerability to the cyclone. A mixed method approach that involved 1180 participants was used. The study found that disaster risk management legislation and institutions in Zimbabwe are weak. Cyclone Idai resulted in the loss of many human lives, loss of livelihoods, and massive damage to infrastructure. The cyclone exposed capacity and policy gaps in Zimbabwe’s disaster risk management system. The study makes a number of recommendations, including strengthening disaster legislation and policy, and disaster risk governance. Given the communities’ response to the disaster occurrence, the study also recommends strengthening social capital.
- Cyclone disasters,
- Disaster management policies,
- Early warning systems,
- Zimbabwe

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References(46)

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