Relationship analysis between residents’ risk perception and housing mitigation & recovery actions in flood prone area

The case of Mabi town, Kurashiki city after the heavy rain event of July 2018 in Western Japan

Abstract

The study analyzes the relationship between the survivors' housing mitigation and risk perception in flood prone area during post disaster recovery period. We conducted questionnaire survey in Kurashiki City affected by the 2018 western Japan heavy rain. Using the concept of risk communication as a theoretical framework, our results reveal that housing mitigation is affected by flood depth, but not by people's risk perception which only impacts on consideration for relocation as a risk avoidance behavior. We conclude that different interventions need to be made for different groups categorized by two axes: risk perception and risk reduction behavior of homeowners. Our work contributed to suggest the possibility of changing risk reduction behavior through risk communication.