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Religious belief and Tibetans’ response to earthquake disaster: a case study of the 2010 Ms 7.1 Yushu earthquake, Qinghai Province, China

Author

Listed:
  • Lei Sun

    (Tsinghua University
    China Earthquake Administration)

  • Guiwu Su

    (China Earthquake Administration)

  • Qing Tian

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Wenhua Qi

    (China Earthquake Administration)

  • Fenggui Liu

    (Qinghai Normal University)

  • Min Qi

    (China Earthquake Administration)

  • Ruoyu Li

    (China Earthquake Administration)

Abstract

Based on data from a questionnaire survey about the 2010 Ms 7.1 Yushu earthquake in Qinghai Province, China, this study examines the impacts of belief in Tibetan Buddhism on Tibetans’ response to the earthquake disaster. The results reveal that (1) impacted by their belief in Tibetan Buddhism, some Tibetans attribute the cause of the earthquake to punishment from God even though some of them understand a naturalistic explanation of the earthquake. Religious attribution of the earthquake has negative effects on Tibetans’ awareness of the importance of earthquake disaster risk reduction such as learning about earthquakes and developing earthquake survival skills; their ability with regard to their behavioral response is affected, but their psychological reaction is not. (2) Tibetan Buddhist belief and Tibetan Buddhist clergy served as important resources and support to help Tibetans cope with the earthquake disaster. The degree of religiosity was found to be positively correlated with people’s willingness to seek religious support and with their self-evaluations on the importance of religious support for disaster response. The findings of this study highlight the need to carefully consider local religious beliefs when planning disaster risk reduction strategies in Tibetan communities.

Suggested Citation

  • Lei Sun & Guiwu Su & Qing Tian & Wenhua Qi & Fenggui Liu & Min Qi & Ruoyu Li, 2019. "Religious belief and Tibetans’ response to earthquake disaster: a case study of the 2010 Ms 7.1 Yushu earthquake, Qinghai Province, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 99(1), pages 141-159, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:nathaz:v:99:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1007_s11069-019-03733-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11069-019-03733-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Benyong Wei & Guiwu Su & Fenggui Liu, 2013. "Public response to earthquake disaster: a case study in Yushu Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 69(1), pages 441-458, October.
    2. David Hutton & C. Haque, 2003. "Patterns of Coping and Adaptation Among Erosion-Induced Displacees in Bangladesh: Implications for Hazard Analysis and Mitigation," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 29(3), pages 405-421, July.
    3. Saud Alshehri & Yacine Rezgui & Haijiang Li, 2013. "Public perception of the risk of disasters in a developing economy: the case of Saudi Arabia," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 65(3), pages 1813-1830, February.
    4. Rajkumar, Anto P. & Premkumar, Titus S. & Tharyan, Prathap, 2008. "Coping with the Asian tsunami: Perspectives from Tamil Nadu, India on the determinants of resilience in the face of adversity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 67(5), pages 844-853, September.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Benyong Wei & Guiwu Su & Fenggui Liu & Qing Tian, 2021. "Public cognition and response to earthquake disaster: from the 2008 Mw7.9 Wenchuan to the 2013 Mw6.6 Lushan earthquakes in Sichuan Province, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 106(3), pages 2751-2774, April.
    3. Zhuolin Yong & Linmei Zhuang & Yi Liu & Xin Deng & Dingde Xu, 2020. "Differences in the Disaster-Preparedness Behaviors of the General Public and Professionals: Evidence from Sichuan Province, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-12, July.

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