A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Disaster Preparedness, Mitigation and Management, School of Environment, Resources and Development {u2013} School of Engineering and Technology

Thesis (M. Sc.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2024

Evaluating the vulnerability of households to heatwave is a crucial step in understanding the existing challenges on heat related health issue, limitation in local level disaster responses, and potential future risk of the community, especially in informal settlement community. It is designed to facilitate the development of local level urban heat risk reduction plan and integrate in current policies and strategies regarding in housing, climate and disaster risk. Communities from the informal settlement play vital role in the country{u2019}s overall economic development and social cohesiveness. The research highlights slum community residents may appear mild level of vulnerability on heatwaves as per developed indicators, however, there is clear evidence of heat-related illnesses and deaths happened in the study area. Limited outdoor amenities, financial constraints, and poor living conditions make the study region vulnerable to heatwave. In addition, the research reveals that the sensitivity is the most influencing on vulnerability among exposure and coping capacities. Dependency ratio, old age, and heat related illness are the primary components of sensitivity{u2019}s indicators. Therefore, the government should improve more on public health care system, social welfare support and well-being of residents. Based on the analysis of current policies, the research suggests the implementation of a heatwave mitigation strategy, a concrete housing policy, and the distribution of a flexible budget for low-cost house design in various geographic locations as per different hazards ranking. The findings are useful for urban planners, disaster risk reduction practitioners, and development project implementers to ensure informative-decision making and effective planning for all city dwellers including informal settlement community. Heatwave dangers is less well-known than urban floods and air pollution. Therefore, the research{u2019}s results could be used in government advocacy process to advocate adequate fund allocation for low-cost housing, consider and plan for natural based solution in the regarding of sustainable.