Resumen

QUESADA-ROMAN, Adolfo et al. Method for calculating flood risk at the scale of basins and municipalities in Central America. Rev. Geog. Amer. Central [online]. 2025, n.75, pp.285-322.  Epub 24-Jun-2025. ISSN 2215-2563.  http://dx.doi.org/10.15359/rgac.75-2.10.

Floods are one of the most devastating natural phenomena worldwide. Seasonal and extraordinary rains often trigger floods in Central America. Comprehensive understanding of the variables that cause them is necessary for integrated and efficient flood risk management. This study analyzes and classifies all municipalities in four Central American countries (Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Panama) in terms of flood hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. The most up-to-date and available information at municipal scale for each country as of 2023 was used for the study. Then Subsequently, flood risk was calculated to understand the role of factors driving it (hazard, exposure, and vulnerability) at the local level and extrapolate them to the watershed scale to integrate a regional planning perspective. The current method provides a calculation of flood risk at the municipal level and places it within a watershed scope through statistical validation of different data sources at the municipal level in the four countries. Watersheds with higher flood risk include Ulúa, Nacaome (Honduras), Grande de Tárcoles (Costa Rica), Jiboa, Grande de San Miguel, Lempa, Estero de Jaltepeque, and Bahía de Jiquilisco (El Salvador). The results can promote flood risk assessment plans in developing countries or watersheds where baseline information is limited, besides serving as an essential reference for the development of environmental zoning plans for territorial planning. This approach has been absent in most national flood risk policies, specifically in plans that analyze the probability of short, medium, and long-term reduction of risk conditions influencing flood disasters.

Palabras clave : Water catchment; Disaster risk assessment; Method; Floods; Flood risk; Central America.

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