The disconnect between plans and practice: insights from case studies in risk communication for extreme rainfall and flooding events

Purpose Risk communication is often framed as conveying science-based information to the public to help them manage risk. This paper aims to nuance the process of risk communication, acknowledging the power of bottom-up practices while recognizing the value of topdown processes, and providing recommendations that can be contextualized and customized to meet the needs of diverse publics. Design/methodology/approach In this viewpoint paper, the authors synthesize localized firsthand research and secondary literature review from multiple areas in the Philippines showcasing the variety of understandings and responses to risk associated with extreme rainfall and flooding. The authors draw insights on perceptions of scientific information on the ground and implications for building effective local risk communication systems. Findings While risk communication for extreme rainfall and flooding has traditionally centered scientific information in messaging, recent research shows that the public’s understanding of risk does not always arise from knowing the science behind hazards. Varying communities have their own strategies of dealing with coming storms, methods of consuming media, and constructs of risk. These necessitate new approaches to risk communication that involve local governments cooperating with their constituents on plans that are rooted in the community’s local culture, as much as they are informed by scientific findings. Originality/value This viewpoint offers ways forward to bridge potential disconnects between local governments and their constituents and build risk communication systems that are more participatory, inclusive and empirically driven.