Community preparedness framework for disaster risk reduction of hydroelectric dams in Cameron Highland

Abstract

Dam Related Disaster (DRD) occurrences are an unexpected event that might occurs suddenly without warning, which seriously impacts people's lives that exceed their ability to survive. It has become very alarming, resulting in a catastrophic break followed by a flood wave at high speed with considerable loss of life, and the eventual catastrophic damages to infrastructure and the environment. The surrounding communities are an integral part of disaster management efforts to increase their knowledge to respond toward the disaster. Given these circumstances, the appropriate community preparedness for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is important to strengthen disaster response strategies. It helps the community to understand the situations to face disaster and interact with present conditions with efficient manners. The research aims to investigate the community awareness and preparedness and the effectiveness of early warning systems toward dam-related disaster. The research is exploratory research that employs qualitative and quantitative methods in eliciting the data. This research engages the case studies method of collecting data, including questionnaire surveys, focus group discussion (FGD) and aerial-mapping analysis of the selected sites. In this research, two dams in Cameron Highland have been selected: Sultan Abu Bakar (SAB) Dam and its vicinity in Lembah Bertam; and Susu Dam and its vicinity in Pos Telanok. The Statistical Package for Social Science Software (SPSS) (Version 25) was used to analyse data from survey questionnaires. The content analysis was used to analyse data from the FGD. The mapping analysis was used to analyse and quantify the disaster impact in the study areas. The findings indicate that the community's awareness is affected by seven factors: disaster experience; causes and indicators of disaster; recognition of hazardous disaster; response towards DRD; disaster knowledge; information on safe location; and signage and mode of transportation. There is a strong contribution of the relationships between community characteristics with their awareness and preparedness towards dam-related disaster. Community participation and involvement in the DRR program, such as awareness program and evacuation drill exercises are very important in developing better community resilience to face disaster. Subsequently, it was discovered that education, experience, and training significantly influenced people's preparedness. These factors need to be nurtured based on local knowledge, experience on the disaster, emergency warning and simulation exercises, and emergency action plan. The mapping analysis proved that the assessment of the potential hazard at both dams becomes another indicator particularly for the dam's owner to alert the communities in advance when there is a potential of flood risks and other emergency calls. This proved that not only for the dam's owner, but the information will be shared directly to the community involved and also the local agencies and authority of Cameron Highlands. These factors have been put forward as the requirement for developing an emergency preparedness framework for dam-related disasters. The framework developed helps the dam owners and local agencies in enhancing community preparedness and building a resilient community to withstand the DRD. The frameworks displayed community-based programs' continuations to ensure community preparedness's sustainability. The framework can assist local agencies and dam owners in formulating strategic DRR programs. These can be done by establishing effective early warning and planning appropriate evacuation strategies to increase people's preparedness toward DRD. The identification of these pertinent factors and framework enables a greater understanding of the community's preparedness for DRR in both dams of Cameron Highlands.