Flooding in Sri Lanka's Western Province : A field study on Adaptive Capacity in Gampaha and Colombo

This thesis explores how urban residents in flood-prone areas of Sri Lanka's Western Province, specifically the districts of Gampaha and Colombo, experience and respond to flooding, with a focus on the concept of adaptive capacity. Based on an ethnographic field study and qualitative interviews with residents, researchers, and experts, the study examines how individuals prepare for, react to, and recover from flood events, as well as how governmental actions influence their resilience. The findings highlight that adaptive strategies are largely reactive and community-based, relying heavily on social networks and informal support systems, while governmental interventions are often perceived as insufficient or disconnected from local needs. Key themes, access to social and economic resources, governance and political engagement, and flood risk awareness, are found to be interdependent and collectively shape adaptive capacity. The study concludes that while local efforts enhance short-term resilience, long-term adaptation requires proactive, large-scale infrastructural and institutional support. The findings suggest that effective flood resilience in urban areas depends on an approach that respects the local context and actively involves residents, while also addressing structural challenges at the systemic level.