Coastal Hazard Communication and Community Preparedness in Ondo State Fishing Villages

Effective communication of coastal hazards including storm surges, rogue waves, and seasonal flooding is essential for reducing the vulnerability of fishing communities in Nigeria's low-lying coastline. This study evaluates the effectiveness of existing coastal hazard communication systems and community preparedness levels in six fishing villages along the Ilaje coast of Ondo State, South West Nigeria. A household survey is administered to 240 respondents across the villages to assess awareness of coastal hazards, exposure to warning information, preparedness behaviour, and trust in information sources. Key informant interviews with village heads, fishing cooperative leaders, local government disaster management coordinators, and officials from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency provide institutional perspectives. The study also reviews the dissemination channels used for existing coastal hazard advisories, including radio broadcasts, text messaging systems, and community notice boards. Assessment tools adapted from the World Meteorological Organization guidelines on multi-hazard early warning systems are used to evaluate system completeness. Findings are expected to reveal very low awareness of formal early warning systems among the majority of households, with local environmental cues (wind changes, cloud formations, unusual sea behaviour) serving as primary hazard indicators. Trust in traditional knowledge surpasses trust in government advisories. Recommendations include community-based early warning systems co-designed with fisher communities and integration of local ecological knowledge into formal hazard communication. Keywords: coastal hazard communication, community preparedness, Ondo State, early warning systems, fisher communities