Assessment of Flood Risk Perception and Coping Strategies in Flood Prone Areas: The Case of Msasani Bonde La Mpunga, Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

In recent years, perception of flood risks has become an important topic to policy makers concerned with flood risk management and safety issues. Knowledge of public risk perception is considered a crucial aspect in flood risk management as it steers the development of effective and efficient flood mitigation measures. The aim of this study is to assess the flood risk perception of residents of Msasani Bonde la Mpunga in Dar es Salaam city and identify the residents coping strategies to flood hazard. The research employed both quantitative and qualitative techniques for data collection using household structured questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). Flood awareness, flood experience, degree of worry are the variables used in this study to assess flood risk perception level among residents of Msasani Bonde la Mpunga neighborhood. Results show that flood risk perception was high among the household respondents of Msasani Bonde la Mpunga. Women in particular had high flood risk perception than men. Furthermore, a correlation analysis revealed that flood risk perception had a positive correlation with flood coping strategies, which implies high level of household respondent’s perception to floods may lead to household resident’s adoption of flood coping strategies.

Keywords: flood risk perceptions, coping strategies, flood risk management