Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga
The destruction caused by tropical cyclone (TC) Pam in March 2015 is considered one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu. It has highlighted the need for a better understanding of TC impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific (SWP) region. Therefore, the key aims of this stu...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2016-05-01
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| Series: | Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences |
| Online Access: | http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/16/1091/2016/nhess-16-1091-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1819097063076397056 |
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| author | A. D. Magee D. C. Verdon-Kidd A. S. Kiem S. A. Royle |
| author_facet | A. D. Magee D. C. Verdon-Kidd A. S. Kiem S. A. Royle |
| author_sort | A. D. Magee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The destruction caused by tropical cyclone (TC) Pam in March 2015 is considered one of the
worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu. It has highlighted the
need for a better understanding of TC impacts and adaptation in the Southwest
Pacific (SWP) region. Therefore, the key aims of this study are to (i) understand
local perceptions of TC activity, (ii) investigate impacts of TC
activity and (iii) uncover adaptation strategies used to offset the impacts
of TCs. To address these aims, a survey (with 130 participants from urban
areas) was conducted across three SWP small island states (SISs): Fiji,
Vanuatu and Tonga (FVT). It was found that respondents generally had a high
level of risk perception and awareness of TCs and the associated physical
impacts, but lacked an understanding of the underlying weather conditions.
Responses highlighted that current methods of adaptation generally occur at
the local level, immediately prior to a TC event (preparation of property,
gathering of food, finding a safe place to shelter). However higher level
adaptation measures (such as the modification to building structures) may
reduce vulnerability further. Finally, we discuss the potential of utilising
weather-related traditional knowledge and non-traditional knowledge of
empirical and climate-model-based weather forecasts to improve TC outlooks,
which would ultimately reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity.
Importantly, lessons learned from this study may result in the modification
and/or development of existing adaptation strategies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T00:09:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-87b86a1d639f4fb188678738353b304d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1561-8633 1684-9981 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T00:09:08Z |
| publishDate | 2016-05-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-87b86a1d639f4fb188678738353b304d2022-12-21T18:45:30ZengCopernicus PublicationsNatural Hazards and Earth System Sciences1561-86331684-99812016-05-011651091110510.5194/nhess-16-1091-2016Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and TongaA. D. Magee0D. C. Verdon-Kidd1A. S. Kiem2S. A. Royle3Environmental and Climate Change Research Group (ECCRG), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, AustraliaEnvironmental and Climate Change Research Group (ECCRG), School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, AustraliaCentre for Water, Climate and Land-Use (CWCL), Faculty of Science and Information Technology, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, 2308, AustraliaKagoshima University Research Centre for the Pacific Islands, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, JapanThe destruction caused by tropical cyclone (TC) Pam in March 2015 is considered one of the worst natural disasters in the history of Vanuatu. It has highlighted the need for a better understanding of TC impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific (SWP) region. Therefore, the key aims of this study are to (i) understand local perceptions of TC activity, (ii) investigate impacts of TC activity and (iii) uncover adaptation strategies used to offset the impacts of TCs. To address these aims, a survey (with 130 participants from urban areas) was conducted across three SWP small island states (SISs): Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga (FVT). It was found that respondents generally had a high level of risk perception and awareness of TCs and the associated physical impacts, but lacked an understanding of the underlying weather conditions. Responses highlighted that current methods of adaptation generally occur at the local level, immediately prior to a TC event (preparation of property, gathering of food, finding a safe place to shelter). However higher level adaptation measures (such as the modification to building structures) may reduce vulnerability further. Finally, we discuss the potential of utilising weather-related traditional knowledge and non-traditional knowledge of empirical and climate-model-based weather forecasts to improve TC outlooks, which would ultimately reduce vulnerability and increase adaptive capacity. Importantly, lessons learned from this study may result in the modification and/or development of existing adaptation strategies.http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/16/1091/2016/nhess-16-1091-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | A. D. Magee D. C. Verdon-Kidd A. S. Kiem S. A. Royle Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences |
| title | Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga |
| title_full | Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga |
| title_fullStr | Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga |
| title_short | Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga |
| title_sort | tropical cyclone perceptions impacts and adaptation in the southwest pacific an urban perspective from fiji vanuatu and tonga |
| url | http://www.nat-hazards-earth-syst-sci.net/16/1091/2016/nhess-16-1091-2016.pdf |
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