Assessing Automated Flood Disaster Alert Systems in Zambia: Case of Mbeta Island in Sioma, Western Province

Abstract

Globally, as the advancement and mainstreaming of Technology become more perversive, ICTs have become agents of change transforming the way we conduct and perceive human activities to sustain and promote the quality of life. It is also no surprise that today’s technology pros control everything from telephone system to software compliance and disaster recovery that seem to become sole candidates for change. For instance, todays ICTs have been integrated in modern lifestyles and has become perversive in everything from telephone networking, automated security systems, software compliance and backups to disaster recovery platforms and Internet of Things. Additionally, one may argue that it is no longer feasible or rapidly becoming obsolete to solely rely on manual systems to predict potential threats such as natural and man-made disasters. Thus implementing early warning systems, communities play an important role in leveraging ICTs potential to generate warning hazards through automated systems that escalates emergency notifications to rescue and mitigation teams. Using a positivist approach with methodological triangulation at data collection and analysis, this study assessed automated flood disaster alert systems in Zambia with specific reference to Mbeta Island in Sioma. The study was informed by Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) theoretical framework with questionnaires and interviews as measurement instruments to assess factors that led to the adoption of the alert system installed in Mbeta Island. Study findings showed varying impact of independent variables: Effort expectancy 6.2%, Performance expectancy 11.8%, Facilitating conditions 4.4% and Social influences 2.6% respectively. The total impact showed there were factors left out in the implementation of the alert system and that there is a need to adopt a new and robust disaster mitigation system that would allow for integration of community needs and everyday challenges in relation to natural and man-made disasters.