Living with the Volcano: Perception of Tsunami and Volcanic Risk Among Residents of Stromboli Island, Italy

Living in the shadow of ‘Iddu’, the Stromboli volcano, requires a unique cultural adaptation. This study explores the risk perception of the permanent residents of Stromboli Island (Italy), a complex multi-hazard environment where persistent volcanic activity coexists with tsunami threats. Adopting a qualitative design based on 17 semi-structured interviews and focus groups (May 2024), we analysed residents’ narratives through the Cultural Theory of Risk. The findings reveal a hybrid risk culture: a dominant individualistic orientation (37%), driven by self-reliance, is balanced by a strong egalitarian ethos (33%) rooted in community solidarity. The analysis highlights three critical dynamics: (1) the normalization of volcanic risk versus the fear of rare tsunami events; (2) a ‘Trust Gap’ between the community’s horizontal preparedness strategies and the institutions’ vertical communication protocols; and (3) an ‘Economic Filter’ imposed by tourism, which creates a cognitive dissonance where risk is privately acknowledged but publicly downplayed. The study concludes that effective Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) cannot rely solely on top-down technology but must integrate local knowledge and participatory approaches to bridge the distance between scientific monitoring and community experience.