Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Learning from the tropical cyclones that ravaged Zimbabwe: policy implications for effective disaster preparedness

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Natural Hazards Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In view of increasing cyclonic activity in the Indian Ocean, nations in southern Africa should prepare well for flood-related disasters. This paper critically examined the level of preparedness of the government of Zimbabwe to cyclonic disasters using the country’s three most disastrous cyclones during the past two decades: (a) Cyclone Eline of 2000, (b) Cyclone Dineo of 2017 and (c) Cyclone Idai of 2019. In-depth qualitative interviews, post-disaster lessons learned workshops and a review of disaster policies provided data on five key preparedness measures: (a) prepositioning of resources, (b) early warnings, (c) evacuation, (d) citizen participation and (e) effective response. The findings demonstrate that the government of Zimbabwe remains in the disaster-response-disaster cycle instead of a proactive preventive approach to cyclones. Limited financial and material resources constrain effective preparedness to disasters. These problems stem from a weak legislation governing disaster risk reduction. This study therefore proposes five-policy implications for effective disaster preparedness.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emmanuel Mavhura.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mavhura, E. Learning from the tropical cyclones that ravaged Zimbabwe: policy implications for effective disaster preparedness. Nat Hazards 104, 2261–2275 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04271-7

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-04271-7

Keywords

Navigation