Author: Helal Mohd Mohiuddin
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no. HS-87-15
Year: 1987
Academic Program: Human Settlement (HS)
Type: Thesis (M.Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 1997
Examination Committee: Reidar Dale (Chairperson); Govind Kelkar (Co-Chairperson); B.W.E. Wickramanayake (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: Coastal districts of Bangladesh are the most vulnerable to natural calamities. Cyclones cause the severest sufferings to these coastal areas. Noakhali is a southern district that was affected severely by several lives claiming cyclone disasters in different spheres of history. Previous death records of cyclones show that women’s death rate is much higher in the district than that of the men. A number of government and non-government measures have been taken in the past years to reduce the losses of lives and property without considering the vulnerability by gender. Therefore, higher risk of female death in cyclones still persists. Hence, an effective disaster preparedness technique with due recognition of women’s issue is necessary. Considering the resource constraints and women’s home-bound status, the need of introduction of alternative user-friendly technique is thought. People’s knowledge of disaster preparedness must, therefore, be given the highest priority. How people perceive a disaster to prepare themselves for an approaching disaster is revealed from this standpoint that the people in the area perceive modern and traditional belief simultaneously. They depend on radios and TVs to listen to the warning, but rely less on them. Confusion and disbelief among the people of the area about warning system makes emergency decision- making difficult. People lack required consciousness of the needs of emergency evacuation as well as pre-disaster preparation with available resources. People perceived the conventional institutional preparedness programs as ineffective and of less use during emergencies Weak institutional arrangements are responsible for ineffective disaster preparedness in the area. Mismanagement of cyclone shelters, government institutions’ bureaucratic attitudes and over-prioritized relief activity rather than pre-disaster coping strategy are also responsible for the ineffectiveness of the institutional measures. In contrast, people have knowledge of disaster preparedness t
Scholarship Donor(s): H. R. H. Queen Sirikit (Environmental Conservation Program)
Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, School of Environment, Resources and Development
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