Flood risk method for scarce-data catchments and municipalities

Abstract

Floods pose significant challenges in regions with limited resources and data, requiring simplified methodologies for effective risk assessment. This study presents a flexible framework for analyzing flood hazard, exposure, and vulnerability at the municipal level in data-scarce or developing countries. By integrating diverse data sources and employing statistical validation, the methodology ensures reliable results, even with minimal baseline information. It supports regional planning by facilitating flood risk calculations and extrapolations to watershed scales. While based on experiences in Central America, this approach is applicable globally, offering a systematic tool for flood risk assessments and environmental zoning in resource-constrained settings.