Validation of the Hazard and Vulnerability Analysis of Coastal Erosion in the Caribbean and Pacific Coast of Colombia

Abstract

A hazard and vulnerability assessment of coastal erosion is an essential first step for planning and decision-making, because it is part of risk management and its results are in the form of easily interpreted traffic-light maps. For the analysis of the assessment in this work, a methodology is proposed which considers three components for both hazard (magnitude, occurrence, and susceptibility) and vulnerability (exposure, fragility, and lack of resilience), through a semi-quantitative approximation, by applying relative indices to different variables. This methodology has been adapted to analyze hazards and vulnerability caused by coastal erosion combining physical and social aspects. For the validation of this methodology, Spratt Bight Beach (Colombian Caribbean) and La Bocana beach (Colombian Pacific) were selected in order to have contrasting regions and to validate the application of the method over a geographical range. One of the most significant outcomes of the assessment of the degree of hazard and vulnerability is that the rating may represent different combinations of factors. It is therefore important to study and interpret the components separately, allowing us to propose corrective and/or prospective focused interventions at local and regional levels. In terms of vulnerability, the assessment highlighted the importance of cultural ecology as a factor of resilience to coastal hazards.