TITLE:
Assessment of Physical Vulnerability in Santo Domingo De Heredia, Costa Rica, Central America
AUTHORS:
Jonnathan Reyes Cháves, Mario Fernández Arce, Daniel Solís, Rafael Bolaños Villalobos
KEYWORDS:
Vulnerability, Santo Domingo, Heredia, Disasters, Prevention, Costa Rica
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Engineering and Technology,
Vol.2 No.3B,
September
18,
2014
ABSTRACT: This work assesses the physical
vulnerability of the Santo Domingo Canton in the province of Heredia in Costa
Rica. We evaluate the vulnerability of areas located in high risk zones as well
as the structural resistance of structures of the canton and then combine them
to obtain an index of Physical Vulnerability. Most of the communities in high
risk areas in this Canton have not been properly identified and mapped. This
identification and mapping will enhance the management of disaster risks,
reduce the infrastructure vulnerability and protect vulnerable families in
there. We created an index ranging between 0 and 1 for each indicator of
physical vulnerability (human settlements in areas of high risk and
structural resistance) and another similar index resulting from the combination
of vulnerability information from both indicators. The greater part of the
territory of Santo Domingo has low physical vulnerability but there are
critical sites in the West and the East of the canton.