SYNTHESIZED ASSESSMENT METHOD FOR DISASTER RISK WITH A LAND USE APPROACH (MESR) AN APPLICATION FOR THE CITY OF CALI, COLOMBIA

Abstract

The objective of this article is to assess the risk of flooding in the city of Santiago de Cali, Colombia. During the study, the Synthetic Assessment Method for Disaster Risk with a Land Use Approach (MESR) was applied. Based on this model, synthesized hazard and vulnerability factors were integrated from the social construction approach to assess risk. This allows to determine the population and infrastructure that could be affected. Results indicate that the risk classified as ‘high’ is about 6 percent, ‘medium’ 38 percent, and ‘low’ 56 percent. This means that 34 neighborhoods, 37,202 people and 28 informal settlements could be affected during the initial phases of flood occurrence. The produced flood-risk map coincides with the areas that have historically been affected by floods, and where the most vulnerable residents tend to locate. The relevance of these findings lies in the usefulness for disaster risk management to guide resilient and more sustainable territorial planning processes.