Indigenous knowledge and community disaster resilience to cyclones: Evidence from the South-Central coastal region of Bangladesh

The main aim of the study is to identify, analyze, document, and improve indigenous knowledge and local practices for managing cyclone and storm-surge risks. The study also aims to raise awareness of the importance of indigenous knowledge and to encourage its integration into formal disaster management and resilience-building programs.

The study identified several important indigenous practices for disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation. These include keeping valuable items under the soil during cyclone warnings, wearing mobility-supportive clothing during cyclones and storm surges, planting disaster-resilient trees along embankments, collecting rainwater for future use, storing cooking fuel on raised platforms, exchanging food support through social relationships during crises, using portable clay stoves during floods, drying and storing cow dung as fuel, hanging valuable items and food from house crossbeams, and using local fish conservation techniques during flooding. The findings indicate that indigenous knowledge provides simple, low-cost, locally available, and environmentally sustainable solutions for disaster preparedness and resilience in coastal communities.