From Risk to Readiness: Exploring Community Preparedness for Monsoon Floods in East Coast Malaysia

Floods during the monsoon season are a recurring phenomenon in Malaysia’s East Coast, with Kelantan communities frequently affected from November to March. These floods cause significant loss of life and economic damage, emphasising the need for increased awareness and preparedness. This study employs quantitative research methods to evaluate the preparedness of the Tok Deh community in Kelantan who experienced severe floods in 2014 and 2022. Fifty respondents completed a questionnaire assessing five indicators: knowledge of floods, reading flood signs, flood adaptation, flood awareness and flood perception. The results indicate high community knowledge about floods (mean score, M = 3.82) and a strong belief that floods are inevitable during monsoons (4.42). The community showed high confidence in Government support post-flood (4.36 - 4.42), effective sharing of flood-related knowledge (4.42) and high awareness of evacuation centre locations (4.44). However, participation in disaster awareness campaigns (3.52) and awareness of the importance of infrastructure (3.68) need improvement. Confidence in the safety of homes and buildings is moderate to low (2.32 - 2.72). Although the community anticipates large-scale flooding within the next decade (4.10), individual preparedness remains inadequate. This study highlights the community’s strong flood-related knowledge and collective preparedness and calls for improved personal preparedness, expert knowledge access and communication with non-governmental organisations to enhance resilience.