In-depth Appraisal of Pluvial Flood Risk Perception and Coping Strategies in a Flood Prone Urban Settlement: A Case Study of Ala Community, Ondo State Southwestern Nigeria

Efforts to mitigate the damage and risks associated with natural disasters have been extensive; however, floods continue to rank among the most destructive natural hazards worldwide. In recent years, the occurrence of such natural events appears to have increased, and the associated threats to both development and economic stability from flood disasters are also growing. There is widespread recognition-sometimes well-founded-that climate change could substantially alter risk levels, potentially rendering many current flood management strategies insufficient for future needs. The scale of current and projected flood impacts underscores the urgency of prioritizing flood risk management within urban areas in policy and political discourse. This paper provides a detailed assessment of flood risk, emphasizing the relationship between flood risk perception variables and the adoption of protective measures. The correlation analysis shows that key factors such as worry, direct flood experience (r = 0.61), and flood awareness significantly influence risk perception. However, preparedness behaviors, including the adoption of Property-Level Flood Mitigation Measures (PLFMM), were more strongly influenced by socio-demographic factors such as gender, property ownership (p = 0.699), and self-efficacy, while risk perception had minimal influence. Additionally, low-cost interventions such as channelization (24%) and moving expensive items (18%) were the most adopted protective measures. The study also shows that direct and indirect flood experiences were stronger predictors of PLFMM adoption than risk perception.