The Exposure, Vulnerability, and Ability to Respond of Poor Households to Recurrent Floods in Mumbai

Patankar, Archana

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: FLOODING;    POOR PEOPLE;    EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS;    COMMUNITIES;    RISKS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-7481
RP-ID  :  WPS7481

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

This paper examines poor households inthe city of Mumbai and their exposure, vulnerability, andability to respond to recurrent floods. The paper discussespolicy implications for future adaptive capacity,resilience, and poverty alleviation. The study focusesparticularly on the poor households, which tend to havegreater exposure and vulnerability to floods and limitedability to respond given the constraints on physical andfinancial resources. The study seeks to understand theimplications of the fact that poor households are morelikely than non-poor households to be located in flood-proneareas. The study used the land use maps for the selectedflood-prone areas to determine the extent and spread of poorand non-poor households and other types of assets andactivities in areas with chronic and localized flooding.Primary data were obtained through detailed householdsurveys to understand the vulnerability and impacts of theextreme floods of July 2005, recurrent floods and theability of households to respond and cope. The studyexamined the option of relocation to flood-free areas andidentified factors that influence families’ decisionsregarding relocation. The study finds that a significantlylarge proportion of poor households are located near areaswith chronic and localized flooding. These households areeither below the poverty line or have low incomes and residein informal settlements or old and dilapidated structures.Future climate risks are likely to put greater burden on thepoor and push them further into poverty unless well directedefforts are made to protect them.