Flood risk management for the RUA of Hanoi: Importance of community perception of catastrophic flood risk in disaster risk planning

Purpose - This paper aims to investigate reasons for unusual overdevelopment of floodplain areas outside river dyke, provide an insight into the importance of community perception of catastrophic flood risk in the riverside urban areas (RUA) of Hanoi and establishes the need for participatory disaster management planning and disaster management education in the study location. Design/methodology/approach - Structured survey was conducted in five wards in the RUA to understand how residents perceived flood risk. Findings - The low perception of catastrophic flood risk among communities was found to be an important factor in the continued development of the RUA and led to the trust in their houses as a prominent protective solution. Moreover, the flood vulnerability of the areas has been increasing due to the missing link between local authorities and community. Research limitations/implications - This paper examines community perception of flood risk as one of main factors. Other factors such as availability of options for housing, public participation and relevant policy interventions are beyond the scope of the paper and need to be studied in the same location. Practical implications - To regulate the development of the RUA, community perception of catastrophic flood risk should be changed and community leaders should be motivated, with involvement of local authority at ward offices, to conduct comprehensive hands-on community education programs. Originality/value - Few researches have been done on the overdevelopment and community perception in the flood-prone areas. This paper not only reaffirms the few studies made in the past but also suggests broad interventions for enhancing the flood risk perception among the community members.