This study examines coping strategies used in coastal Bangladesh to deal with cyclones and storm surges. It identifies various pre-disaster, during disaster, and post-disaster coping strategies used by households. The study found that adoption of coping strategies depends on demographic factors like age, gender, and socioeconomic factors like income, education, and location. Indigenous early warning signs, social support networks, and relief programs all influence coping capacity.

1. Household response to cyclone and induced surge in coastal
Bangladesh: coping strategies and explanatory variables
Written By:
Paul, S. K., & Routray, J. K. (2011)
A presentation
by
MD ASIF HASAN
Based of the paper

2. Purpose of this Study
The purpose of this research is
to explore indigenous coping strategies
identify underlying demographic
socio-economic and other relevant variables that influence the adoption of
coping strategies
It is assumed that such demographic and socio-economic variables have significant
influence on the adoption of coping strategies against cyclones and induced surges.
first section of this study the second section
various indigenous coping strategies in
response to cyclone and induced surge
have been identified and discussed.
the chi-square test is applied to various
demographic and socio-economic
variables such as age, gender,
education, land ownership, income and
occupation against different coping
measures.

3. Introduction
A review of existing literature finds that
coastal flooding,
cyclone and storm surge,
the systematic documentation of indigenous knowledge and practices
the identification of how different underlying factors influence coping
behavior is still lacking.
The present study intends
to explore different pre-disaster
during disaster and post-disaster coping measures
effectiveness to mitigate the impacts of cyclones and induced surges on
coastal Bangladesh.
to explain how different variables such as age, gender, income, education,
occupation, and other exogenous factors influence the adoption of coping
measures.

4. The research is based on both secondary and primary data collected
through key informant interviews, focus group discussions and a
household questionnaire survey.
Both descriptive and inferential statistics are used to analyze the data. By
assuming a 95% confidence interval, the total sample size for the
household questionnaire survey was 331 out of 788 households.
Samples were drawn proportionately from three villages. Out of the total
respondents approximately 90% are males and 10% are females.
Methodology of this study and study area
Angulkata
Tetul Baria
Charkashem
Angulkata
Tetul Baria
Charkashem
Population Sample
90%
10%
Male
Female

5. Study area

6. Affect
Charkashem and Tatulbaria Villages
• severely affected
Angulkata
• moderately affected
Induced Surge
cyclone induced surge height was
• more than 3 m in
Charkashem,Tatulbaria;
• about 1.5 m in Angulkata
Impacts and dynamics of cyclones and induced surges in the study villages
Tube wells were
submerged under
saline water
drinking and
domestic water was
highly polluted in
Charkashem and
Tatulbaria villages
Water borne
disease increase
Water Borne Diseases

7. Indigenous coping strategies for cyclone and induced surge mitigation
Villagers have their own coping strategies based on
• Cultural
• socio-economic background
• physical location
• Characteristics of the disasters
• individual’s vulnerability and ability to absorb shock
The study considered the 3 sequences of coping measures, as:
 Well in advance
 Immediately before the disasters
 Post disaster coping measures

8. Coping strategies well in advance of the cyclone and induced surge event
• Unique design and construction method of houses- (Machan and Pataton) to
save foods and goods are common strategies to minimize impact of the
disaster.
• Plantations of coconut, betel nut and banana trees around the house, gentle
sloping of the house roof towards the south-east helps the wind to flow over
the house
• Put useful materials in a net or jute bag and throw these into a shallow pond
or tie them to strong trees with cloth or rope
• Most valuable items, such as jewelry, are wrapped in cloth and kept inside a
cooking-hole in the kitchen or by digging a safety-hole in the floor to protect
them from inundation and being washed away by the surge water.

9. 80% of total households do not have radio or television
About half of the respondents do not understand the forecast, and few
understand superficially or get some signals
85% of the fishermen do not have radios in their fishing boats; and rarely
listen (81%) to weather forecasts.
They generally depends on indigenous cyclone prediction methods:
 Abnormal south-eastern wind circulation along with a dark and cloudy
sky (31%)
 The tendency of ants to climb walls carrying grain and moving
purposefully towards higher ground or the roofs of houses (23%)
 Sea birds coming inland in groups (20%);
 Abnormal increase of water temperature in the sea and rivers (15%)
 Flies attaching themselves to cattle for protection against the surge
water and wind (8%)
Coping strategies well in advance of the cyclone and induced surge event contd

11. Coping strategies immediately before the cyclone and induced surge event
Majority of the household members (86.4%) do not take shelter in
traditional cyclone shelters, but prefer to stay in the ceilings or on top of the
thatched roof of their own houses (35%), or seek refuge in neighbor’s
houses (29.3%)
No cyclone shelters are available in Charkashem and Tatulbaria. They
(85.7 and 26.6% respectively) climbed up trees and stayed in their house
ceilings until the threat was over
A few people made use of plastic containers or banana rafts to save their
lives from the fast flow of surge water
Those who have no options, took shelter on the embankments, raised
roads or other elevated places after the cyclone
Majority of the respondents (49%) do not take any protective measures, as
they believe – “Cyclone is God’s will and God will save them; it is beyond
the control of people”

12. Post cyclone and induced surge event coping strategies
Post event coping measures include risk management and risk coping
strategies.
After a cyclone more than 80% depend on alternative income sources
Majority involved in government or NGO sponsored ‘food for work’ or ‘cash
for work’ programs
The study reveals that about 52, 47 and 14% in Angulkata, Tatulbaria and
Charkashem villages respectively had sold assets, like: big trees, jewelry,
household utensils, paddies, chickens, cattle, fish, tin sheets, fishing and
agricultural equipment etc.
Mortgaging of land was found most common in Angulkata
Advance selling of labor also a common coping strategy

13. The study also reveals that borrowing of money is a common coping measure
among 80% of total households;
Major loan providers:
NGOs 44.8%
Mahajans / arotdars 19.5%
friends/relatives 8.8%
Government banks 4.8%
Mal- practiced found as: people borrowed money simultaneously from multiple
sources and used one source to repay another and thus they fall in the
‘vicious circle of borrowing’
Migration after a cyclone found as 13% cases
Food scarcity make bound to reduce dailly meals formore than 90% of total
respondents
Post cyclone and induced surge event coping strategies contd

14. 14
Adoption of coping strategies: differentials and explanatory variables
This study follows the socio-cultural approach to determine the variation in
human coping due to the variation in socio-economic factors as follows:
Age, Gender, Education level, Land ownership,
Households Income, Primary Occupation.
Response to early warning, locational exposure, magnitude of cyclonic
events, relief and rehabilitation, social protection and informal risk-sharing
within the community are also considered.

15. 15
It reveals that understanding of cyclone warning (p = 0.000) is higher among
the upper income group (75.4%) and comparatively less among middle (49.7%)
and lower income groups (39.6%).
Household income

16. 16
disbelief in existing cyclone forecasts
fear of theft
fatalism
unfavourable weather
poor communication
long distance and inadequacy of shelters
Response to early warning
Reasons behind not come to Cyclone Shelter

17. 17
Response to early warning
85
15
No move to
Cyclone
Shelter
Move to
Cyclone
Shelter
After Sidr
66.67
33.33
Move to
Cyclone
Shelter
No move to
Cyclone
Shelter
Rate of Change is 344%

18. 18
Char Area
(Vulnerable for
-Cyclone and
Induced Surge)
Sea
Inland Community
Lack of Resource
and Become a part
of Fishing
Community
Location exposure and magnitude of cyclone
If surge water remains stagnant
for an
extended period, it pollutes both
surface and drinking water.
Spreading of water borne
diseases reduces people’s coping
ability and increases the state of
vulnerability

19. 19
Relief
Component
Three months Time Period
1 times 2 times 3 times 4 times 5 times
Rice
Cash
Cooking Oil
Pulses
Household
Utensils
Clothes
Support
Service
Material
Assistance for
Rebuilding
Local Economy
Money for
Rebuilding
Local Economy
Relief and rehabilitation

20. 20
Food for work
Cash for work
Household helped each other during cyclone &
post cyclone period
Manual labor
Food sharing
Home reconstruction materials
Agricultural & fishing equipment and seeds
Social protection and informal risk sharing within the community

21. 21
This study confirms that indigenous coping strategies can significantly
minimize the cyclone vulnerability. Social protection measures along
with informal risk-sharing mechanisms within the community play a vital
role for rebuilding the settlements and the livelihoods of victims.
The study finds that adoption of a particular set of coping strategies
depends not only on the magnitude, intensity and potential impacts of
the cyclone and induced surge, but also age, gender, social class,
dissemination of early warning information, locational exposure,
external assistance, social protection and informal risk sharing
mechanisms within the community.
Additionally, proper dissemination of early warning and government and
non-government partnerships for relief and rehabilitation activities
should be prioritized to ensure pro-poor disaster management
activities.
The study also recommends effective monitoring of the impact of aid to
ensure corrective measures to avoid the development of relief
dependency by disaster victims.
Conclusion