Are we prepared for the next one? Evaluating community evacuation preparedness 20 years after the Indian Ocean tsunami

In Aceh province (Indonesia), the city of Banda Aceh and the surrounding areas face a persistent and significant tsunami threat due to their location in a disaster-prone zone. On December 26, 2004, the region was devastated by a catastrophic tsunami. Twenty years later, while awareness of tsunami risks has grown, community preparedness for evacuation remains inconsistent. This study aims to assess community evacuation strategies, and identify key determinants of evacuation preparedness in tsunami-prone areas, focusing on factors such as education, age, evacuation training, local wisdom, and floor type as socioeconomic indicators. Using a cross-sectional survey design, the study gathered data from 287 respondents through a questionnaire survey, and a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), with 25 participants representing the government, NGOs, community leader, and academics, as well as field observations in disaster-prone zones. The data were analysed using ordinal logistic regression to identify key predictors of preparedness. The findings confirm previous research highlighting the complex nature of disaster preparedness, and the crucial role of community-based initiatives. This study underscores the need for equitable access to resources, inclusive training programmes, and the integration of local wisdom into formal disaster preparedness frameworks, in order to enhance community resilience. Finally, the study emphasises the importance of tailored preparedness strategies, including virtual evacuation tools, in order to improve tsunami evacuation effectiveness and boost community readiness in vulnerable regions.