Digitally enhanced disaster preparedness approach to natural disasters in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Disaster preparedness is one of the prominent phases of disaster management that mitigates the impact of hazards and ensures effective response and recovery. In terms of successful disaster preparedness, information and coordination systems play a major role by creating linkages among the different stakeholders and managing preparedness information. However, existing information coordination systems used in disaster preparedness of developing countries like Sri Lanka need to be enhanced by digital technologies in order to obtain successful outcomes of disaster preparedness. Therefore, this research is aimed at enhancing the disaster preparedness approach in Sri Lanka through a digital information and coordination system. The study initially carried out an extensive literature review. Subsequently, under the interpretivist research philosophy, the data was collected through interviews, documentary review and focus group discussion. The data analysis was conducted through manual code based content analysis and user story analysis to identify existing challenges and user requirements of a digital information and coordination system for disaster preparedness. Empirical findings revealed that existing information and coordination systems for disaster preparedness in Sri Lanka undergo multiple challenges faced by the authority members involved in the preparedness approach and the community. Lack of transparency, lack of accuracy, delays in information dissemination, lack of user-friendliness, lack of capacity have been identified as the topmost challenges, which affected both the authority as well as the community. Hence, the development of a digitally enhanced information and coordination system for disaster preparedness by addressing the existing challenges has become indispensable. To this, the user requirements of such a system were gathered, analysed and presented in a framework through the study by providing the basis for the system development. The features of the developed framework through the study would assist the disaster preparedness practitioners as well as the community to contribute towards an enhanced disaster preparedness approach by addressing the existing challenges and ensuring maximum user satisfaction.