Turks and Caicos Islands

Event
Hurricane
Flooding
Storm
Surge
Drought
Landslides
Table 5.8.35: Perceived level of risk of climate related events: Household
Perception
of Risk
SAMPLE 1 MALE HEADED
Male Female Total
FEMALE HEADED
Male Female Total
No Risk 45.2% 38.9% 0.0% 36.8% NA 58.3% 58.3%
Low Risk 29.0% 22.2% 100.0% 26.3% NA 33.3% 33.3%
High Risk 22.6% 33.3% 0.0% 31.6% NA 8.3% 8.3%
No Risk 41.9% 33.3% 100.0% 36.8% NA 50.0% 50.0%
Low Risk 29.0% 27.8% 0.0% 26.3% NA 33.3% 33.3%
High Risk 22.6% 27.8% 0.0% 26.3% NA 16.7% 16.7%
No Risk 38.7% 38.9% 0.0% 36.8% NA 41.7% 41.7%
Low Risk 32.3% 27.8% 100.0% 31.6% NA 33.3% 33.3%
High Risk 22.6% 22.2% 0.0% 21.1% NA 25.0% 25.0%
No Risk 67.7% 44.4% 100.0% 47.4% NA 100.0% 100.0%
Low Risk 12.9% 22.2% 0.0% 21.1% NA 0.0% 0.0%
High Risk 12.9% 22.2% 0.0% 21.1% NA 0.0% 0.0%
No Risk 58.1% 38.9% 100.0% 42.1% NA 83.3% 83.3%
Low Risk 3.2% 5.6% 0.0% 5.3% NA 0.0% 0.0%
High Risk 32.3% 44.4% 0.0% 42.1% NA 16.7% 16.7%
1: Where one or more respondents did not indicate an option, the total percentage of respondents sum up to less 100%
Of interest, respondents reported higher levels of risk to climate related event for the community than they
did for their own households for hurricanes and flooding, which would suggest that, despite the
community’s previous experiences with hurricanes and flooding impacts, respondents have confidence in
the ability of their homes to withstand these impacts, and therefore feel safer there. Perceptions of risk to
the household vary slightly from perceptions of community risk for storm surge and landslide events, but as
these tend to be localised events, perceptions from respondents may vary depending on their own location
in relation to the sea (storm surge risk) or steeply sloping, landslide-prone areas.
Respondents appear to have minimal concern for drought events, which may have occurred infrequently in
the past and therefore respondents do not discern any immediate threat. However, given the likelihood of
increasing temperatures and variable rainfall, the likelihood of more frequent drought-like conditions
increases and residents therefore need to be prepared for this eventuality regardless of the rarity of
drought occurrences that they may be accustomed to (see Table 5.8.36). This approach goes beyond
drought events, and should apply in all cases of climate-related events.
162