Desensitised flood risk perception to extensive disasters in a marginalised urban kampong in Indonesia

Figures & data

Figure 1. Projected flood impacts in Pontianak in 2055. This is for a scenario with 1/25 yr-1 rainfall and normal peak river discharge (1/2 yr-1), high spring tide conditions and in which combined sea levels rise and land subsidence (relative sea level rise) is 1.0 m compared to 2020 levels (World Bank, 2020; included with permission).

Figure 2. Waste accumulation in the canals of Tambelan Sampit which may contribute to flood risk elsewhere in Pontianak but alongside the river is not a direct cause of tidal flood inundation. Photo Credit: Reza Fahlepi.

Figure 3. Children in Pontianak swimming and playing in (flood) water along the Kapuas River. Photo Credit: Reza Fahlepi.

Table 1. Summary of flood risk perception as theorised by Raaijmakers et. al (2008) and updated to reflect findings about desensitisation and extensive flood risk.

Risk perception (Raaijmakers et. al, 2008)	Risk perception (desensitised)
Awareness
Direct experience leads to increased awareness	Frequent low-intensity experience of floods (overexposure) leads to decreased overall awareness
Sharing of information	Prior experience with incorrect, late, or absent early warning systems contributes to lack of trust
Lack of knowledge about causes and consequences	Understanding of flood risk as natural or predestined discourages preventative action, results in mismatch between actions and solutions
Direct impacts from floods easily perceptible and linked to intensive flood events	Indirect flood impacts not always explicitly connected to floods or considered possible to reduce by preventing or mitigating floods
Worry
Fear, dread, and concern associated with awareness of a risk	Low levels of awareness linked to low levels of worry
Worry broadly related to possibility of floods – typically intensive (immediate, life-threating, limited in duration)	Worry limited to specific direct impacts of floods (ie. Risk of children drowning, important possessions getting damaged by water)
Worry about existential possibility of future flood risk	Accepted level of risk as a recurrent and unavoidable part of life that people grow accustomed to
Preparedness
Risk reduction actions	Low levels of awareness and worry – prevention not seen as necessary
Disaster response plans in place	Low levels of awareness and worry – advance planning for response not a priority
Targeted policies and plans for the most vulnerable	Limited attention to areas seen as ‘used to’ recurrent flood impacts

World Bank. (2020). Designing Flood Resilient Cities, integrated approaches for sustainable development / Bima, Manado and Pontianak, final Report.

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