| dc.description.abstract | Floods form the most frequent natural disaster phenomena, accounting for approximately 47% of all weather-related worldwide dangers, and occasioning annual loss of life and property to over 250 million people. Kenya’s Nyando River Basin has continued to experience chronic flood disasters over the years, affecting 85% of households and accounting for over 70% of such hazards in the country. While flood-related losses have been widely documented, focus on how locally available social and cultural resources that might help local communities to enhance their resilience during such disasters has been limited. The objective of this study was to analyse the response and coping mechanisms shaping social resilience to flood disasters in Nyando River Basin of Kisumu County, Kenya. Specific objectives were to: determine how culturally-based environment conservation practices help in responding to flood disasters; analyse how collective actions have helped in responding to flood disasters; and to establish how preparedness informed by local forms of weather prediction help in responding to flood disasters in the Nyando River Basin of Kisumu County, Kenya. The study was guided by social resilience theory which highlights people’s capacity to respond, cope, and recover from disasters. This study utilized cross sectional descriptive survey with a mixed-methods approach on a target population of 1,728 households. Yamane’s formula was used to compute a sample size of 324 households that were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. Key informant interviews and focus group discussions were used to gather information from officers from the Ministry of Interior (the chiefs and their assistants), Community Based Organizations (CBOs) operating in the study area, local community health workers, community elders (headmen), and local disaster committee members. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics (Mean, standard deviation, and frequencies), and the qualitative data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings showed that culture-based environment conservation practices such as protection of sacred trees, water resources and waterways have occasionally been relied upon to respond to flood disasters, although a number of cultural environmental practices previously observed have been eroded leading to diminishing of tree cover and in turn contributing to continuous flooding. Similarly, collective action enhanced by use of social media platforms has been occasionally relied upon to provide significant support during flood disasters. In addition, movement of cloud especially appearance of dark clouds over the Nandi Hills (Gablilo) is a precise indication of a looming flood disaster in the area, and this arouses various measures for mitigating its impacts. The study concludes that erosion of cultural and social mechanisms is exposing the people to the negative impact of floods in the area. To cement cultural conservation practices, support in terms of provision of various indigenous trees and plants for planting along waterways so as to enhance protection of riparian lands is recommended. Similarly, collective entities such as family institutions should be strengthened to play a critical role in recovery during and after flood disasters. Additionally, immediate warning systems should be prompted immediately predictive signs are sited along the Nandi escarpment, the Gablilo, to enable adequate preparedness to save property. More research should be done to shed light on ow indigenous response mecanisms to flood disasters enhance growth social resilience among households in the Nyando River Basin of Kisumu County, Kenya. | en_US |
