Comparing the spatial patterns of flooding and individual risk perception: A case study of Yunlin, Taiwan

Abstract

As the risk of flooding increases under climate change, countries are recognising that structural mitigation strategies are kind of limited and that non-engineered mitigation measures are needed to reduce the vulnerability of the population. However, if residents become less aware of flooding due to engineering mitigation, this may result in greater loss of life and property (levee effect), or if residents are exposed to more frequent flooding, this often contributes to a greater adaptive capacity (adaptation effect). Therefore, this study adopts the Global Moran's I and Local Indicators of Spatial Association methods to classify areas with different flooding characteristics based on actual historical flooding data, and further explores the differences of residents' adaptation behaviours between “Floods continuing” and “Floods slowing” areas by means of field interviews and questionnaires. Research Results: (I) “Floods continuing” and “Floods slowing” areas were identified; (II) the relationship between risk perception (including flood awareness, risk threat assessment, non-protective awareness) and adaptation behaviour was established; (III) “Floods continuing” areas had higher flood awareness and risk threat assessment, and most of them were willing to adopt adaptation behaviour; “Floods slowing” area are more trusting in engineering mitigation measures. These results confirm the adaptation effect and levee effect.