Sustainability, Vol. 17, Pages 10176: Evaluation of Disaster Resilience and Optimization Strategies for Villages in the Hengduan Mountains Region, China

Sustainability doi: 10.3390/su172210176

Authors:
Fuchang Zhao
Qiang Zhou
Lianyou Liu
Fenggui Liu
Weidong Ma
Hanmei Li
Qiong Chen
Yuling Liu

The intensifying global warming and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events have created an urgent need for targeted resilience building in mountainous villages. This study focuses on three typical villages in the Hengduan Mountains region. From the perspective of individual villagers, a disaster resilience evaluation index system was constructed, encompassing four dimensions: disaster prevention capacity, disaster resistance capacity, disaster relief capacity, and recovery capacity. Using the entropy method and a village disaster resilience assessment model, the disaster resilience levels of each village were quantitatively evaluated. The results indicate the following: (1) Disaster resistance capacity is the key factor constraining the disaster resilience level of mountain villages. (2) The overall disaster resilience of mountain villages is at a medium level, with minor differences among villages. (3) Significant disparities exist in capacity dimensions across villages: Qina Village demonstrates the strongest disaster resistance capacity, while Xiamachang Village excels in disaster prevention capacity but shows relative weakness in recovery capacity. (4) Household material endowment has a significant positive impact on disaster prevention, resistance, relief, and recovery capacities, while individual self-rescue capability and individual–government collaboration capacity also significantly enhance disaster prevention, resistance, and relief capacities. We propose the following: Leveraging the rural revitalization strategy as a pivotal point, this approach promotes the diversified development of the village economy. It facilitates the increase in villagers’ income through the implementation of employment skill training programs, thereby strengthening household material foundations to enhance individual disaster resilience. By relying on the mass monitoring and mass prevention mechanism and a disaster information sharing platform, real-time exchange of disaster situation information is achieved, which enhances communication and collaboration between villagers and the government, consequently improving the synergistic efficiency between individuals and governmental bodies. Simultaneously, a villager-centered disaster prevention system is constructed. Through measures such as disaster prevention publicity and practical disaster response drills, villagers’ awareness of disasters and their capabilities for self and mutual rescue are elevated, ultimately strengthening the overall disaster resilience of rural areas in the Hengduan Mountains region.

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