PROFILING FLOOD-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IN KUALA NERUS, TERENGGANU: SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS, REPEATED FLOOD EXPOSURE AND IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJEPC.1165009Keywords:
Community Resilience, Flood Experience, Flood Vulnerability, Malaysia, Sociodemographic ProfilingAbstract
Flooding remains a recurring disaster in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia, affecting communities with diverse demographic, residential and exposure characteristics. This preliminary study aimed to profile flood-affected respondents in Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, based on sociodemographic characteristics, residential conditions and previous flood experience. A quantitative descriptive pilot study involving 35 flood-affected respondents was conducted using a researcher-developed printed questionnaire. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequencies and percentages in SPSS. The sample was predominantly female (82.9%), respondents aged 30–45 years formed the largest age group (57.1%), 57.1% had SPM-level education, 65.7% were homeowners and 68.6% lived in intermediate-cost housing. Most notably, 85.7% have experienced flooding at least twice. Repeated exposure may provide opportunities for experiential learning through which communities develop situated knowledge about risk, preparedness and response; however, experience alone should not be interpreted as evidence of resilience. From a psychosocial and community perspective, resilience depends on whether experiential knowledge can be supported by risk awareness, social resources, preparedness and adaptive capacity and translated into effective action. The study provides an initial empirical profile for larger-scale investigations of how flood experience interacts with learning, preparedness and community resilience.
Downloads
References
Alias, N. E., Salim, N. A., Taib, S. M., Mohd Yusof, M. B., Saari, R., Ramli, M. W. A., Othman, I. K., Annammala, K. V., Yusof, H. M., Ismail, N., Yuzir, A., & Blenkinsop, S. (2020). Community responses on effective flood dissemination warnings—A case study of the December 2014 Kelantan flood, Malaysia. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 13(S1), e12552. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12552
Amir Zal, W. A. (2018). Ketahanan komuniti mangsa bencana banjir di Pantai Timur Semenanjung Malaysia dalam konteks modal komuniti [Community resilience among flood victims in the East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia in the context of community capitals]. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 3(2), 41–53. https://doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol3iss2pp41-53
Bagheri, M., Wan Talaat, W. I. A., & Mohd Akhir, M. F. (2026). Strategic master plan for coastal city risk mitigation: A case study of Kuala Nerus and Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Natural Hazards, 122, Article 159. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-025-07798-9
Birkmann, J., Cardona, O. D., Carreño, M. L., Barbat, A. H., Pelling, M., Schneiderbauer, S., Kienberger, S., Keiler, M., Alexander, D., Zeil, P., & Welle, T. (2013). Framing vulnerability, risk and societal responses: The MOVE framework. Natural Hazards, 67(2), 193–211. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-013-0558-5
Brown, B. B., Perkins, D. D., & Brown, G. (2003). Place attachment in a revitalizing neighborhood: Individual and block levels of analysis. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 23(3), 259–271. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(02)00117-2
Cook, B. R., Cornes, I., Satizábal, P., & de Lourdes Melo Zurita, M. (2025). Experiential learning, practices, and space for change: The institutional preconfiguration of community participation in flood risk reduction. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 18(1), e12861. https://doi.org/10.1111/jfr3.12861
Cutter, S. L., Barnes, L., Berry, M., Burton, C., Evans, E., Tate, E., & Webb, J. (2008). A place-based model for understanding community resilience to natural disasters. Global Environmental Change, 18(4), 598–606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2008.07.013
Cutter, S. L., Boruff, B. J., & Shirley, W. L. (2003). Social vulnerability to environmental hazards. Social Science Quarterly, 84(2), 242–261. https://doi.org/10.1111/1540-6237.8402002
DiPasquale, D., & Glaeser, E. L. (1999). Incentives and social capital: Are homeowners better citizens? Journal of Urban Economics, 45(2), 354–384. https://doi.org/10.1006/juec.1998.2098
Ernawati, E., Yulfa, A., Rahmi, L., & Ibrahim, M. H. (2025). Resilient communities: Adapting to flood disasters in Kemaman, Terengganu, Malaysia and Padang City, Indonesia. Environmental Research, Engineering and Management, 81(3), 63–72. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.81.3.39073
Hertzog, M. A. (2008). Considerations in determining sample size for pilot studies. Research in Nursing & Health, 31(2), 180–191. https://doi.org/10.1002/nur.20247
Isia, I., Hadibarata, T., Hapsari, R. I., Jusoh, M. N. H., Bhattacharjya, R. K., & Shahedan, N. F. (2023b). Assessing social vulnerability to flood hazards: A case study of Sarawak’s divisions. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 97, 104052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2023.104052
Isia, I., Hadibarata, T., Jusoh, M. N. H., Bhattacharjya, R. K., Shahedan, N. F., Fitriyani, N. L., & Syafrudin, M. (2023a). Identifying factors to develop and validate social vulnerability to floods in Malaysia: A systematic review study. Sustainability, 15(17), 12729. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712729
Kumaresen, M., Teo, F. Y., Selvarajoo, A., Sivapalan, S., & Falconer, R. A. (2025). Assessing community perception, preparedness, and adaptation to urban flood risks in Malaysia. Water, 17(15), 2323. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152323
Lewicka, M. (2011). Place attachment: How far have we come in the last 40 years? Journal of Environmental Psychology, 31(3), 207–230. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2010.10.001
Ludin, S. M., Rohaizat, M., & Arbon, P. (2019). The association between social cohesion and community disaster resilience: A cross-sectional study. Health & Social Care in the Community, 27(3), 621–631. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.12674
Norris, F. H., Stevens, S. P., Pfefferbaum, B., Wyche, K. F., & Pfefferbaum, R. L. (2008). Community resilience as a metaphor, theory, set of capacities, and strategy for disaster readiness. American Journal of Community Psychology, 41(1–2), 127–150. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10464-007-9156-6
Paton, D. (2003). Disaster preparedness: A social-cognitive perspective. Disaster Prevention and Management: An International Journal, 12(3), 210–216. https://doi.org/10.1108/09653560310480686
Safiah Yusmah, M. Y., Bracken, L. J., Sahdan, Z., Norhaslina, H., Melasutra, M. D., Ghaffarianhoseini, A., Sumiliana, S., & Shereen Farisha, A. S. (2020). Understanding urban flood vulnerability and resilience: A case study of Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia. Natural Hazards, 101(2), 551–571. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-020-03885-1
Suhaimi, M. F., & Abdul Ghani, M. T. (2025). Emotional resilience and experiences of flood victims in Jitra, Kedah: A phenomenological approach. Journal of Asian Geography, 4(1), 44–53. https://doi.org/10.36777/jag2025.4.1.6
Wan Mohammad Azhar, W. A. A., See Too, K. L., & Muhamad, N. (2026). Social vulnerability and community resilience in Hulu Langat flood-prone area, Selangor. Journal of Safety Science and Resilience, 7(3), 100291. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnlssr.2026.100291
