The 2014 Tokwe-Mukorsi floods: Were the civil protection authorities in Zimbabwe prepared for the disaster?

Abstract

Flood preparedness involves building capacities that enable minimising losses through effective response and recovery. While there are many preparedness assessments at household and community level, very few have been conducted at institutional level. This study assessed the households' perspectives of the preparedness of civil protection institutions in Zimbabwe during the 2014 Tokwe-Mukorsi flood disaster and identified the capacity building needs of the civil protection institutions. It used a 5-point Likert scale to measure six preparedness indicators: emergency plans, early warning systems, evacuation, resources, disaster knowledge, and relocation camp management. Data came from a cross-sectional survey involving 656 household-heads who were randomly selected among the affected villagers of Tokwe-Mukorsi. The findings revealed various gaps in preparedness both at indicator and at variable level. While some indicators showed incipient levels of development in all their variables, others had a combination of low and developed variables. The preparedness elements that critically need immediate attention include the development of emergency plans, evacuation of populations at risk and the prepositioning of resources. However, it is pertinent to mention that civil protection systems in Zimbabwe need to strengthen most of their preparedness elements. As such, this study recommends strengthening preparedness activities in civil protection systems.