Evaluation of the Role of Local Government in Strengthening Flash Flood Disaster Mitigation Capacity in Teluk Wondama Regency

Abstract : Teluk Wondama Regency remains highly exposed to flash-flood hazards, particularly along the Wasior-Wondiboy-Rasiei corridor, where settlements, public services, transport networks, and government functions are concentrated. The 2010 Wasior flash flood demonstrated the severity of potential consequences, while current evidence indicates that mitigation capacity still requires systematic strengthening. This study evaluates the role of local government in flash-flood mitigation, identifies enabling and constraining factors, and formulates strategies to strengthen mitigation capacity. A qualitatively oriented mixed-methods approach was applied within an evaluative case-study design. Data were obtained from disaster-management, development-planning, spatial-planning, environmental, program, and budget documents; semi-structured interviews with nine purposively selected informants; field observations in Wasior, Wondiboy, and Rasiei; and descriptive quantitative scoring of 30 indicators across six mitigation-capacity dimensions. The local government has performed roles as regulator and planner, coordinator, facilitator, service implementer, development controller, and community enabler; however, these roles have not yet formed a fully integrated mitigation system. The overall capacity score was 54 of 120, equivalent to 45.0 on a 0-100 scale and categorized as less adequate. Policy-planning and spatial planning-watershed management each scored 50, whereas technical systems-early warning-evacuation and community capacity each scored 40. The principal finding is a persistent gap between normative capacity and operational functionality. Priority strategies include updating risk and disaster-management plans, strengthening inter-agency coordination, operationalizing the emergency operations center and sub-watershed-based early warning, testing evacuation networks, controlling risk-prone land use, sustaining preventive financing, and institutionalizing community preparedness.