Definition and classification of torrential avenues and their impact in the Colombian Andes

Abstract

Flash floods are one of the most destructive hydro-meteorological threats in terms of human lives and economic losses, especially in mountainous and tropical environments, such as Colombia. However, there is no consensus in our country regarding the terminology and classification of flow-type events that allows for an adequate characterization of these phenomena. The article analyzes the impact and the spatial and temporal distribution of those events in Colombia, and describes their typologies on the basis of state-of-the-art classifications of flow-type phenomena. It proposes a classification of flash flood events in Colombia, which includes three types of phenomena: sudden rise in water level, debris floods, and debris flows.