Physical vulnerability and local responses to flood damage in peri-urban areas of Dhaka, Bangladesh

This study examines the physical vulnerability of residential buildings, flood damages, and local physical responses in three neighbourhoods of Eastern Dhaka. Results show that the level of damage to buildings is the most important predictor of physical vulnerability to floods. Buildings that are older than 20 years old and built with natural materials are likely to experience high flood damages compared to buildings that are less than 10 years and constructed with durable materials.

The study concludes that in addition to socio-economic interventions, a targeted and people-centred flood management regime that pays attention to age, material composition, and structural quality of houses is necessary to build residents’ adaptive capacities and long-term resilience to flooding.