Information adequacy, preparedness and stress in extreme climate event: Before and after a cyclone

Disaster preparedness is the most crucial element of minimizing loss and ensuring post-disaster recovery. This study investigates how the extent of information availability shapes risk perception and public response to extreme climate event such as cyclone, examining its influence on preparedness, stress and panic buying, moderated by demographic factors. A mixed-method survey collected data in a cyclone-affected region. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected at two points: a large-scale pre-event sample (N=571) two days prior to landfall and a post-event follow-up (N=62). Findings suggest that people with very less or complete information, have rational responses to preparedness. However, the preparedness, stress, concern and panic buying are not completely rational under partial information availability. Secondly, these measures increase as the event approaches closure, indicating temporal shift. Qualitative data analysis suggests a temporal shift: focus moves from short-term survival pre-event to long-term resilience post-event. Therefore, the information reach and extent should be improved in an extreme climate event. This study makes a novel methodological contribution through its real-time, longitudinal assessment of a disaster. Its central theoretical argument identifies partial information, rather than mere scarcity, as a primary catalyst for public irrationality, providing critical insights for emergency management and crisis communication.

Citation

Kar, B., Purna Chandra, M., Kar, S., Damodar, J. & Kar, N. (2026) Information adequacy, preparedness and stress in extreme climate event: Before and after a cyclone, Disaster Advances, 19(4) pp. 10-19.

Type

Journal article

Language

en

Description

© 2026 The Authors. Published by World Research Association. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence. The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.25303/194da010019

ISSN

0974-262X

Collections

Faculty of Education, Health and Wellbeing