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The perception of risk in the flood-prone area: a case study from the Czech municipality

Mohan Kumar Bera (Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi, India)
Petr Daněk (Department of Geography, Masaryk University, Brno, The Czech Republic)

Disaster Prevention and Management

ISSN: 0965-3562

Article publication date: 8 December 2017

Issue publication date: 2 January 2018

846

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the risk perceptions and activities of people to reduce impacts of disaster.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study research has been conducted in village Podhradí nad Dyjí in the Dyje river basin in Czech Republic. Villagers from different age groups, experts, NGO members have been interviewed to understand people’s perceptions of flood risks and their actions.

Findings

The research has found that changing flood insurance policy influenced people’s risk perception. There is also increasing self-dependency among people to reduce impacts of disaster. They come together to support each other and develop collectivities in managing disaster. People’s actions and willingness to participate in disaster management activities change with distance from the river bank.

Research limitations/implications

The village identified for the case study research has been affected by floods after implementation of the Crisis Management Act No. 240/2000 Coll. The findings of the study are influenced by geographical location of the municipality and cannot be generalised in the Czech Republic.

Practical implications

The research has listed physical as well as socio-economic and cultural indicators of risk perception in the Czech Republic. These indicators and outcomes should help to assess and identify the gaps in reducing impacts of floods.

Originality/value

The study has revealed the interconnection between physical, socio-economic, and cultural factors of risk perception after implementing the Crisis Management Act No. 240/2000 Coll. and changing strategies in disaster management in the Czech Republic.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the residents of Podhradí nad Dyjí for their hospitality, time, tolerance, and kind support during the stay in the municipality. Thanks also to Pavla Štěpánková for her creative insights into the research on floods in the Morava and Dyje River basins, and to anonymous referees for their constructive insights and valuable suggestions that have helped to strengthen the original version of the paper significantly. The authors’ special thanks go to Erasmus Mundus Scholarship of the European Union and Sir Ratan Tata Fellowship of Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi, to provide financial support to conduct the research.

Citation

Bera, M.K. and Daněk, P. (2018), "The perception of risk in the flood-prone area: a case study from the Czech municipality", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 27 No. 1, pp. 2-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-01-2017-0004

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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