Caregiving as a determinant of disaster exposure: A gender-sensitive reinterpretation of the 2011 Genoa flood

Disaster impacts are shaped by social inequalities that influence exposure, vulnerability and recovery. While flood mortality in Italy generally affects men more frequently than women, exceptional events may reveal different mechanisms through which disaster risk is produced. This study reinterprets the 4 November 2011 Genoa flood, in which all six fatalities were women or girls, through a gender-sensitive qualitative case study. The analysis combines institutional reports, scientific literature, archived newspaper accounts and a reflexive positionality statement from one author who experienced the event. Findings indicate that the victims' exposure was closely associated with gendered caregiving responsibilities, including accompanying children and protecting relatives during the emergency. Rather than contradicting previous national evidence, the Genoa case highlights caregiving as a socially produced mechanism of vulnerability during fast-onset disasters. We argue that disaster risk reduction should explicitly consider care responsibilities when designing warning systems, emergency communication and preparedness strategies.