FLOOD RISK PERCEPTION AND PREPAREDNESS PRACTICES OF FLOOD PRONE COMMUNITIES IN DIBRUGARH CITY, ASSAM

Abstract

The Assam flood has been a well-known phenomenon for ages. Its frequency and intensity 
have been increasing in recent years due to factors such as deforestation, unplanned 
urbanisation, encroachment of wetlands, and climate change-induced extreme weather events. 
These floods cause widespread damage to life, property, agriculture, and infrastructure, 
severely disrupting socio-economic development and posing serious challenges to public 
health, education, and the environment. Despite substantial national and state-level efforts in 
disaster management and risk reduction, the situation remains grim. In fact, such a situation is 
expected to intensify in the face of growing uncertainties of climate change issues. Building 
community resilience is therefore of utmost importance alongside the state’s efforts in order to 
effectively face and deal with the situation. In view of this, this paper investigates flood risk 
perception and preparedness practices among people in Dibrugarh, a flood-prone City of 
Assam. The goal is to understand the ground on which local communities stand in the fight 
against floods and, accordingly, tailor interventions that best suit their needs. Using a mixed
methods approach, the study combines household interviews with 200 respondents, in-depth 
interviews with the key informants, and focus group discussions with women, youth and elderly 
populations. Findings demonstrated the presence of risk awareness in the community, but a 
critical gap in local preparedness, poor communication and early warning systems, and 
insufficient initiatives from local institutions. The study therefore underscores the urgent need 
for targeted community-based initiatives, diversified risk communication, inclusive training, 
and robust institutional engagement to translate high-risk awareness into actionable 
preparedness that can enhance the resilience of communities against floods. 

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