Evaluation of the vulnerability and resilience towards urban flash floods in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract

The effects of extreme events such as flooding vary across different urban settings, causing vulnerability to differ spatially. The frequency and intensity flood pose debilitating challenges to economies, infrastructure, communities, households, and individuals across various regions, drawing considerable research attention into the vulnerability and resilience towards the deleterious impacts. This research investigates vulnerability and resiliency of urban villagers in response to the increasing threats from floods. Using structured questionnaire distributed among household from urban villagers in Malaysia, this research examines their dimensions of resiliency in facing flood. A hundred and ten respondents identified as the head of the affected households took part in the study where their resource allocation due to floods over a year was determined and their resilience towards floods was also analyzed. The findings reveal the households demonstrating an intricate relationship where despite being urban poor, they do not consider the recurring event as the most major daily threat. Instead, they prioritize safety, health, and sufficient food supply as most of them have made a resource allocation for these items. Social adaptation, particularly comfortable neighbourhood, the duration of stay in the area, and network among the community became the key factors of staying within the same area despite the recurring flash floods. This research recommends that it is equally important to consider the resiliency in disaster planning and policies. By critically consider this complex relationship between household vulnerability and resiliency, would help in formulating effective flood management and town planning for sustainable development.