Disaster preparedness of Mutare city council, Zimbabwe

Abstract

The study was conducted in Mutare City in Manicaland province in Zimbabwe. The study was prompted by the effects of cyclone Idai which had unprecedented effects on lives and development assets in other parts of the province. The principal objective of this study was to gauge the disaster preparedness of the City in terms of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. A purposively selected sample of 30 research participants was involved. Interviews and observation were the main data gathering tools. The findings were that the City was not disaster prepared. A combination of policy guidelines, training and disaster education, equipment, coordination and infrastructure are the main factors against which disaster preparedness was assessed. An innovative all-inclusive disaster management system is being recommended for the City.