Methodological Design for Flood Risk Assessment at a Local Level Using Scarce Information (PAP014429)

Código

PAP014429

Autores

EDNA MARGARITA Rodríguez-Gaviria, Gabriel Jaime Pérez-Mesa, Veronica Botero-Fernández

Tema

Urban Floods

Resumo

Floods are the most frequent natural events in Colombia, recognized as the "socio-natural" threat that has most affected the country´s history, taking into account their high frequency, the large territorial areas involved and the amount of population that is affected. This paper shows the advances in the research that aims to provide the analytical and methodological tools necessary to strengthen the local territorial development processes. A methodology that can be applied and trusted, as the country has data, knowledge, and experiences, all limited by their conditions of quality and quantity. The methods used to perform each of the involved steps within the risk evaluation process, that is, the knowledge of the territory, analysis of the threat, and evaluation of the vulnerability, involve the investigation-action; the analysis of the document sources, historical archives, and databases; the performance of semi-structured interviews of experts and interest groups, surveys of homes, validation interviews, workshops, teledetection, geographic information systems-GIS analysis and census data. The research shows how the methodology can be applied by using two Colombian study cases and how it is possible to include it in the formulation of structured public action policies at local level, in the correction of medium and long term situations of vulnerability, in the construction of risk reduction scenarios and in other activities of territorial and environmental planning.