Preparing Vulnerable Communities for Adaptation and Mitigation of Climate-Induced Flooding through Mock Drills and Interpersonal Communication in Anambra State

Abstract

Despite recurring interventions by government and humanitarian agencies, community-level preparedness for flood adaptation and mitigation remains generally low, largely due to weak risk communication and limited practical exposure to emergency response procedures. This study examined the role of mock drills and interpersonal communication in preparing vulnerable communities in Anambra State for the adaptation and mitigation of climate-induced flooding. Anchored on Protection Motivation Theory and Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The population comprised adult residents of flood-prone communities across three flood-prone local government areas in Anambra State, from whom a sample was drawn using multi-stage and purposive sampling techniques. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit data on residents' exposure to mock drills, patterns of interpersonal flood-risk communication, and their level of flood adaptation and mitigation practice. Data were analysed using mean, standard deviation, and Pearson Product Moment Correlation at the 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that exposure to mock drills and active interpersonal communication among community members were both significantly and positively associated with improved flood adaptation and mitigation practices, although actual community exposure to organised mock drills remained considerably low compared to informal interpersonal channels such as town union meetings, religious gatherings, and household-to-household communication. The study concluded that structured mock drills, when combined with existing interpersonal communication networks, hold strong potential for strengthening community resilience to climate-induced flooding in Anambra State. It was recommended that government and disaster management agencies institutionalise periodic community-based mock drills and deliberately integrate trusted local communication structures into flood early-warning and preparedness campaigns.