Understanding individual motivation to protect against volcanic risks among Goma population before the May 2021 Nyiragongo eruption, Virunga volcanic province (DR Congo)

The willingness to implement risk protective measures (protection motivation) differs between individuals; informing people about the risk they face may not be sufficient to generalize the implementation of protective measures. Therefore, an assessment of the individual psychological appraisal of the risk (threat appraisal) and protective measures (coping appraisal) is necessary to predict the protective behaviour. Using the Protection Motivation Theory, the study that this poster present, highlights determinants of the individual protection motivation of 2224 adults from height representative neighbourhoods of Goma before the Nyiragongo eruption of May 2021. Statistical analysis of survey’s results shows that the protection motivation is mainly and positively shaped by the perception of the efficacy of the proposed risk protective measures and the capacity of the participant to implement them. To the opposite, negative determinants of the protection motivation include the interest in seeking information and a high-risk perception, proving a risk mitigation paradox – those most aware of the risk being the less likely to implement protective measures. A spatial contrast in coping and threat appraisals as well as in protection motivation is observed between the eastern part of the city, historically impacted by lava flows, and the western one, with higher values in the east. Being highly populated and exposed to several volcanic hazards, especially lava flows from the south flank of Nyiragongo volcano, Goma needs an effective disaster risk mitigation program. Integrating evidence of this study into local disaster risk mitigation programs can contribute to improve their effectiveness.