The role of social capital in strengthening community resilience against floods: A case study of Mumbai, India

Abstract

This study examines the role of social capital in shaping flood resilience within Mumbai’s Sahakar Nagar, a coastal community vulnerable to flooding. Through surveys of 100 residents, we find a positive correlation between trust in community members and the adoption of resilience strategies (r = 0.219, p < 0.05). Trust in neighbors emerges as a key predictor of proactive coping (β = 1.23, p < 0.001), seeking social support (β = 1.32, p < 0.001), and positive reappraisal (β = 1.45, p < 0.001). K-means clustering reveals three distinct community groups (“High Trust Proactive”, “Moderate Trust Networkers”, and “Low Trust Individualists”) exhibiting varying levels of social capital and resilience strategies, reflecting the community’s diverse socioeconomic context, with bimodal income peaks at INR 40,000 and INR 100,000. Social network analysis identifies 12 interconnected sub-communities, highlighting the importance of information hubs within the network. Our findings underscore the critical role of trust in fostering community resilience, suggesting that interventions aimed at building and strengthening trust can enhance flood preparedness and response in urban coastal communities.