Housing Design and Long-Term Recovery Processes in the Aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami

Abstract

While much has been written about postdisaster housing reconstruction, few have explored the effects of certain types of building designs or materials in improving the quality of the housing stock, basic utilities, and amenities. This study examines housing improvements at two time points (six months and three-and-a-half years) after the 2004 tsunami and discusses structural recovery to the built form as well as households' perceptions of recovery at the individual and community levels. The analysis is made on the basis of surveys conducted in 558 rural households in the coastal district of Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu, India. Findings suggest that the reconstructed core-housing units are structurally good and have improved because of a stricter adherence to building standards and materials. Despite assistance and improvements to their housing stock, respondents from the backward classes and scheduled castes, lower income groups, and those pursuing nonfishing livelihoods expressed lower levels of perceived recovery compared with those from households from the most-backward caste, those with higher incomes, and fishing folks. Findings suggest that postdisaster housing recovery programs need to emphasize sustainable development goals that ideally not only contribute to physical well-being but also address a wide range of social problems as well. This will help to ensure that long-term physical, social, and economic recoveries are equitable to a broad range of beneficiaries.