Abstract:
In recent years, perception of flood risks has become an important topic to policy makers
concerned with flood risk management and safety issues. Knowledge of public risk perception is
considered a crucial aspect in flood risk management as it steers the development of effective and
efficient flood mitigation measures. The aim of this study is to assess the flood risk perception of
residents of Msasani Bonde la Mpunga in Dar es Salaam city and identify the residents coping
strategies to flood hazard. The research employed both quantitative and qualitative techniques for
data collection using household structured questionnaires and Focus Group Discussions (FGD).
Flood awareness, flood experience, degree of worry are the variables used in this study to assess
flood risk perception level among residents of Msasani Bonde la Mpunga neighborhood. Results
show that flood risk perception was high among the household respondents of Msasani Bonde la
Mpunga. Women in particular had high flood risk perception than men. Furthermore, a correlation
analysis revealed that flood risk perception had a positive correlation with flood coping strategies,
which implies high level of household respondent’s perception to floods may lead to household
resident’s adoption of flood coping strategies.
Keywords: flood risk perceptions, coping strategies, flood risk management