Analysis of the Impact of Fragmented Coordination During Natural Disaster Responses on Access to Drinking Water Following Cyclone Idai - Beira Case Study

Abstract

Globally, disasters affect every domain of human activity and cause devastating losses across the human, economic and environmental domains. While they are extremely difficult to predict and prevent, the global society is, in principle, more than capable of mitigating many of the most severe consequences. Worryingly, while the prevailing efforts often fall short future disaster impacts are likely to become even less effective because of several compounding factors. Among the various novel perspectives that emerged to resolve the shortcomings of current disaster risk management efforts, a promising insight is offered by the lens of institutional vulnerability. This research provides a strong rationale for the recognition of institutional vulnerability as an insightful tool in addressing the most common areas of criticism around the existing DRM approaches. These finding are based on a case study analysis that centers around the 2019 Cyclone Idai and its impact on the City of Beira. The research reveals that institutional vulnerability is both a factor in the progression of vulnerability, but also a key mitigating variable in the development of the disaster. By expanding the analysis of the progression of vulnerability to include institutional vulnerability, it is possible to create a more comprehensive account of how a disaster unfolds and recognize the key role that institutional vulnerability has in amplifying or mitigating the disasters.