Interacting social and environmental drivers of gendered resilience to storm surge disasters

Cyclones, storm surges, and floods are predominant disasters in Bangladesh, occurring almost annually and disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable gender groups in communities. This study investigates storm surge inundation scenarios in Assasuni Upazila of Satkhira district, assessing inundation, damage, and vulnerabilities from physical, social, and motivational perspectives. A resilient pathway is developed from a gender perspective using insights from the Motivation and Ability (MOTA) framework. Satellite imagery from Sentinel-2 was used to analyze storm surge inundation, complemented by 30 in-depth interviews, 2 focus group discussions, and 4 key informant interviews. Findings show that during normal dry-season conditions (average of January) before the cyclonic event (average of October), the water extent was 11 km² (34% of the total area), which increased to 17 km² (47%) after Cyclone Amphan. High Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) areas subsequently recovered during the post-disaster period, reaching 29.6% in 2023. To reduce vulnerability, housing can be improved by building on elevated ground or using flood-resistant materials, while sustainable livelihoods can help maintain income during flood events. Strengthening social networks can further enhance community resilience and response capacity. Policymakers can draw on these findings to implement gender-sensitive disaster management strategies in coastal Bangladesh.