Social capacities in fostering water supply resilience in Vanuatu
Disaster Prevention and Management
ISSN: 0965-3562
Article publication date: 15 August 2019
Issue publication date: 11 September 2019
Abstract
Purpose
In March 2015 Vanuatu experienced Tropical Cyclone (TC) Pam, a category 5 cyclone with estimated wind speeds of 250 kph and one of the worst disasters in Vanuatu’s history. Prior to the cyclone, one-third of water in Vanuatu was collected by means of rainwater harvesting systems; around one quarter of these systems were damaged due to the cyclone and no longer functional. The purpose of this paper is to investigate social and organisational complexities in the resilience of water systems in Vanuatu following TC Pam, focussing on rural areas.
Design/methodology/approach
The resilience of water supply in rural responses to TC Pam was examined using the three following approaches: review of existing documents, a case study of a village and interviews with specialist local and international non-governmental organisation staff working in Vanuatu.
Findings
People’s reaction to the cyclone and its consequences at the village or community level in Vanuatu was impressive. The capacity of the locals, their involvement in the community and the low level of violence and high level of trust within society contributed to a quicker water supply restoration than expected. Despite severe shortages of water in some areas due to physical vulnerability of the system, the communities dealt with the issue calmly and the country did not experience any chaos due to water shortages.
Originality/value
The research results provide a benchmark for planners and decision makers in the South Pacific based on the social, organisational and technical dimensions of rural areas in Vanuatu that can be generalised to other countries in the region. This study also recommends potential tools to improve assessment of the role of social capital in fostering water supply resilience.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge Sahara Anae from ADRA New Zealand and Matt Molloy from Environmental Health Consulting NZ Ltd for the information and advice they provided for this study.
Citation
Balaei, B., Wilkinson, S. and Potangaroa, R. (2019), "Social capacities in fostering water supply resilience in Vanuatu", Disaster Prevention and Management, Vol. 28 No. 5, pp. 706-720. https://doi.org/10.1108/DPM-08-2018-0278
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited