<![CDATA[The 2023–2024 eruption of Mount Marapi posed significant challenges for community-level crisis communication, particularly in information dissemination, interagency coordination, and community response management. This study analyzes how the Village Head of Sungai Pua managed crisis communication during the pre-disaster, disaster, and post-disaster phases and identifies communication barriers affecting community preparedness and response. A qualitative case study within a constructivist paradigm applied the Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT). Data were collected through in-depth interviews, observations, and documentation and analyzed using pattern matching, explanation building, and time-series analysis. Findings show that the Village Head implemented communication strategies through official letters, WhatsApp groups, mosque loudspeakers, and social media. However, communication effectiveness remained constrained by low public risk perception before the disaster, delayed interagency coordination during the disaster, and unverified information afterward. The Village Head also played a crucial role in fostering public trust, coordinating emergency responses, and supporting post-disaster recovery. Effective crisis communication depends on communication channels and local leaders’ ability to raise risk awareness, strengthen coordination, and manage information continuously. These findings enrich SCCT research on local leadership and provide practical guidance for strengthening community-based disaster communication systems.]]>
