**7. Discussion**

Studies pointed out that the socio-economic conditions of the people significantly impact people to understand and perception exposure of to earthquake hazards. People's economic class, age group, gender, ethnicity, disability, and migration status have vital roles in the progression of the vulnerability of earthquake hazards [3, 10]. Social vulnerability is a multidimensional concept that is historically produced by excluding some groups of people from accessing the production and allocation systems of economic resources [5, 10]. The socio-demographic features enable people to successfully respond to earthquake hazards [5]. Recent studies showed that the geographic location, unplanned establishment of buildings, and high density of

#### *Analysis of Social Vulnerability to Earthquake Hazards in Dhaka South City, Bangladesh Using… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.108714*

development contribute to the production of the vulnerability of some areas [3, 15]. The present study revealed that the dangerous location, unplanned buildings, and narrow road patterns contributed to the progression of the vulnerability of the people living in the area.

The city has experienced massive population growth, high density of population, unplanned urbanization, high level of corruption, political instability and violation, gender discrimination, and lack of social services. Certain individual characteristics and social factors contribute to the production of vulnerability in the event of earthquake hazards [5]. People who have adequate access to a decent home, safe water, and other economic, as well as political resources, are less susceptible to any natural hazard events. The study pointed out that individual characteristics and social factors have a very significant role in determining where people will live and work, what kind of buildings, their level of hazard protection, information, preparedness, wealth, and health which place some segments of people most at risk in the process of earthquake disasters.

The gendered people, such as women, differently able and aged people living in poverty [17], cannot stay safely puts them vulnerable in the event of earthquake hazards [5]. The study showed that women and aged people suffer from a range of chronic diseases and become susceptible in the face of earthquake hazards. Rahman et al. [3] argued that these people are more at risk to the impacts of earthquake hazards as they are more dependent on others and are less capable of evacuation. Earthquake vulnerability largely depends on its geology, population density, building density and quality, and finally the coping strategy of its people and it shows clear spatial variations [18, 19].

Therefore, the study pinpointed that earthquake hazards become a disaster only for the people who have a certain pattern of social, physical, and other facilities. The study revealed that the rich have more money and have a high status which can be used to solve the critical condition better than the poor people as they are rich and know well. Social participation in natural hazards plays a crucial role to mitigate hazardous events [20]. The study showed that relatives can be more tolerant and sacrifice their shared room after shaking the earthquake and help them to evacuate from the earthquake and after the earthquake. During earthquake hazards, safe people can work for saving people as a part of a family and social networking system, etc.

People's prior knowledge of potential earthquake hazards would help the people to take necessary steps before, during, and after earthquake hazards [3, 15]. Educated people possessed a comparatively clear understanding of 'do's and don'ts' in the event of an earthquake disaster and explained more details about earthquakes. Rahman et al. [3] revealed that people can save themselves hiding under the wooden furniture during the time of earthquake. They added that by watching television, and social media, people acquired the relevant knowledge like reserving the dry food, safe water and should keep our cattle safe from the disaster. The absence of basic social services, polluted air, and water resources; and the absence of educational opportunities make people more vulnerable in the face of earthquake hazards [10]. The study found that all the roads are narrow and congested and full of rubbish. Thus, these all factors contribute to the deteriorating physical environment in the study area.

## **8. Conclusion**

The study is an effort to explore the social vulnerability of earthquake disasters from the insights of the people living at the 22nd Ward of Dhaka South City, Bangladesh. The

socio-demographic features of the people have significant relations with the production of the vulnerability of earthquake hazards in the studied area. The root causes of the production of vulnerability found that socio-economically poor people have less capacity to face the potential earthquake hazard. Moreover, ethnic identity, differently able people, and social networking play a vital role to produce vulnerability once they are hit by the hazard. The dynamic pressure includes the increasing number of people living in unplanned congested buildings exposed to the earthquake hazard. The study showed that the risk is high in Dhaka South City, as the area is located in the high natural seismicity along with unplanned urbanization, poorly designed and constructed structures, extremely dense population, and poor preparation for the eventually necessary response to an earthquake have produced social vulnerability among the respondents.

There has been an increasing concern about the earthquake vulnerability of the present built environment of Dhaka South city. There have been many campaigns run by the government to make people aware of earthquakes and its devastating effects. However, people living in the study area are less concerned about the dos and don'ts of the potential threat of earthquake hazards. The poor housing materials, unsafe drainage systems, and lack of emergency equipment in the building make the people more vulnerable in the face of an eminent earthquake hazard. The Government of Bangladesh has been trying to provide necessary knowledge and information about the earthquake hazards among its people. However, people living in dangerous areas having less socioeconomic strength and poor political connections get less attention from the higher authority of the government.
