Building community resilience: learning from the Canterbury earthquakes

Abstract

Internationally, enhancing community resilience is considered key to disaster management. Factors that affect community resilience from a community perspective are explored across six communities. The research occurred following a series of devastating earthquakes in the Canterbury region of New Zealand. Results show that connected communities with pre-existing community infrastructure (e.g. community and tribal organisations, local leaders) found it easier to adapt after the earthquakes. Existing hardship was exacerbated by disaster. The research sheds light on how to foster resilient communities and the importance of doing this because resilient communities cope better with, and recover faster from, crises. However, communities need to be sufficiently resourced to carry out their vital role.