Mapping of risk areas in communities of João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil

Abstract

The unplanned process of urbanization during the years has resulted in the emergence of risk areas occupied by the population in social and economic vulnerability. These areas, in it definition, are suject to risks of natural or induced disasters, such slides of earth and flood. In some cities in Brazil, the level of occupation is practically irreversible. The risks originating by this situation are since material losses to damages for the physical integrity, being this sometimes unrecoverable. The mapping of risk areas turn up indispensable to the mitigation plans of the risks found. The methodology adopted by the Brazil’s Ministry of Cities was used as base for the mapping. The community Filipeia located in the neighbor of Tambiá at João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil, is a potential area of risk. Based on the collected data, the map of risk of Filipeia was developed. The mapping produced revealed that natural and anthropic factors are directly related with the risks for the human life and material assets, such the slope gradient, the kind of vegetation present there, the launch of wastewater on the face of the slope and the self-construction in improper areas.