Early warning systems for disaster risk reduction: a case study in north-west of Romania

Timely and effective warning sets the basis for building the prevention and awareness culture necessary for disaster risk reduction. The paper pursues to assess the awareness level of communities downstream some hydrotechnical facilities in NW Romania in terms of the risks these communities are exposed to and the availability of early warning systems. The research is based on the awareness on early warning systems of a community located downstream of some hydrotechnical facilities on the Somesul Cald River, NW Romania (Central-Eastern Europe), using the social investigation methodology, namely the questionnaire, applied to a group of 516 respondents from the risk-prone area, by the CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) method. The findings reveal the need to increase awareness of population and improve risk communication, as well as to conduct preparedness activities within the local community in order to build their resilience to disasters and improve the knowledge of population on the existing early warning systems. Keywords: early warning systems, disaster risk reduction, community awareness, resilience, Romania