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Paper short abstract

The increase in hydrogeological risks is challenging current disaster preparedness. Comparing Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan, this study examines how non-dominant groups perceive and adapt to these hazards, questioning the limits of vulnerability discourses on age, gender, and nationality.

Paper long abstract

Climate change is intensifying hydrogeological risks worldwide, including heavy rainfall, typhoons, and flooding. Unlike large-scale seismic events, these hazards are often seasonal, partially predictable, and characterised by cumulative, recurrent impacts that blur the boundary between everyday disruption and disaster. However, disaster preparedness frameworks have traditionally prioritised low-frequency, high-impact events, leaving significant gaps in understanding how populations perceive and respond to increasingly frequent hydrogeological threats. Following the 2021 (Europe) and 2020s (Kyushu, Japan) extreme flooding experiences, this research addresses this gap by examining risk perception across three contrasting national contexts—Italy, the Netherlands, and Japan—selected for their differing levels of exposure, preparedness, and public awareness. The study employs a comparative qualitative approach, focusing on non-dominant narratives, with a particular emphasis on stories of place belonging, mobility constraints, and the experiences of foreign residents.

By showcasing these perspectives, the research explores how everyday challenges and adaptive capacities are translated into emergency situations across distinct social and cultural settings. The findings reveal context-specific strategies of coping and preparedness, while also highlighting shared structural constraints. The discussion contributes to debates on disaster risk reduction by questioning the analytical limits of the prevailing “vulnerability discourse” and proposing a more nuanced understanding of risk, agency, and resilience under conditions of escalating climatic uncertainty.

Keywords: disaster preparedness, vulnerability discourses, hydrogeological hazards