Perception on Disaster Evacuation Preparedness: Insights from Relocated Community

Abstract

The relocation program following the 2010 Mount Merapi eruption aimed to reduce hazard exposure by resettling affected populations into safer zones and providing survivors with housing. However, Mount Merapi remains persistently active under continuous alert status, raising concerns about long-term evacuation preparedness of relocated communities in a dynamic risk environment more than a decade later. This study examines whether prior disaster experience translates into sustained preparedness, fifteen years after relocation. Grounded in established evacuation preparedness principles, including early-warning comprehension, clear communication chains, accessible evacuation routes and shelters, coordinated response, and regular drills, it adopts a qualitative approach using open interviews in a rural mountainous setting with five respondents (n=5) from various occupations. Respondents retain basic procedural knowledge, such as awareness of important documents and designated temporary evacuation locations, but this is not supported by strong operational capacity. Coordination remains limited, collective response mechanisms are weak, and drills are rarely conducted. The extended period without major eruptions has contributed to risk normalization and reduced urgency. The study emphasizes the need for continuous reinforcement through community-based coordination, frequent practice, and stronger institutional engagement to keep preparedness active, and for integrating younger generations so that intergenerational knowledge and appropriate risk perception are preserved.