Social capital for flood disaster management: Case study of flooding in a village of Bengawan Solo Riverbank, Tuban, East Java Province

This study aims to describe the effectiveness of social capital in the management of flood disasters in Bengawan Solo Riverbank area in Plumpang, Tuban and the problems faced in managing the flood. The flood occurs every year during the rainy season from October to April due to the rising water level that overtops the riverbank. Though occurs annually, the timing cannot be predicted precisely. The impacts of the flooding are: a) submersion of farm lands and houses; b) damage of public facilities (schools, village roads, places of worship, village offices, etc.); and c) disruption of social and economic activities of the villagers. Dealing with the flood and its impacts would have to be a collaborative endeavor of multiple stakeholders. One of the important strategies for managing flood is strengthening social capital. For this reason, a qualitative study was conducted from January to July 2019 in a village of which the river runs through and is severely affected by the flood. The research data were collected through observation, interviews, focused group discussions, and a review of documents related to the problem of flooding. The study finds that social capital in flood disaster management includes a) social capital for preventing flood impacts; b) moment of flooding, and c) recovery from the impacts of the flood. Social capital in each stage of flood disaster management involves several stakeholders, including the villagers, people from outside the village, government, and private sector. Social capital for managing flood is necessary to strengthen the collaboration between stakeholders and researchers on flood management evaluation.