Adaptive Capacity of The Local Community after Cyclone in Sharankhola Upazila, Bagerhat, Bangladesh

Abstract

This study aims to analyze how the cyclone-affected households get preparation for the disaster and their
cope up and recovery capacity from the impacts. It includes disaster preparedness, relief access, and
rehabilitation possibility to determine the extent of the affected sites’ adaptive capacity. The primary data
were collected from 100 respondents through a questionnaire and were analyzed in SPSS. The findings
show that 10% of the respondents have a financial preparedness mechanism to face disaster, and 46%
have never received any form of relief support from government or non-government organizations.
Worse enough, none of the participants were engaged in any rehabilitation or social safety net program.
It is noted that the communities’ adaptive capacity is really low due to unpreparedness before cyclones
on disaster; food storage and waterborne access. There is a critical need for a well-established disaster
communication system, equitable relief distribution, and community-centered resilience program.
Institutional coordination and social safety are a suitable way to drive long-term sustainability and
resilience to the cyclone-affected coastal population.