Assessment of Physical Vulnerability in Santo Domingo De Heredia, Costa Rica, Central America

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.