Flood risk perception along the Lower Danube river, Romania

Abstract

Risk can be seen as both objective, quantifiable, and subjective, constructed at an individual level. This paper focuses on the latter and aims to explore flood perceptions in relation to socio-demographic variables and various economic measures. The data were drawn from four villages on the banks of the Danube using quantitative questionnaires, villages data sheet and in-depth semi-structured interviews. This mixed method approach allowed for ecologically sound findings. Inequality of income and capital are linked with variations of some risk perception dimensions such as disaster temporal proximity, perceived resilience, and also with a reluctance to think about the future and the dangers it might pose. Past floods are associated with most dimensions tested, including income, inequality, and whether the next flood appears to be imminent. Lower-income households expect some form of assistance not from the community, the church, or local authorities, but from the government. This highlights erosion of social values, or inter-household monetisation, as the other major issue, alongside inequality, faced by rural populations living on the banks of one of Europe’s greatest rivers.