Disaster Preparedness Through Traditional DRR-Related Knowledge. a Comparative Study of the Cultures of Prevention in the Pacific Rim and Mediterranean Coastal Communities

Traditional autochthonous knowledge and cultural heritage related to disaster risk reduction (DRR) can be found in communities worldwide. The Sendai Framework recognizes that culture plays an essential role in DRR and highlights the importance of local traditions and knowledge in disaster management. This article studies the ancestral DRR-related knowledge and traditions of various communities that inhabit the Pacific Rim and Mediterranean coastal areas. The article aims to provide a perspective into disaster preparedness by comparing the role that long-entrenched cultural beliefs and traditions in those regions play in the prevention of disasters, such as tsunamis and floods, as well as to improve our understanding of how DRR strategies and actions based on traditional knowledge remain meaningful today, especially in the face of climate change.