Scientists have identified coastal communities where poverty, poor infrastructure and exposure to the elements combine to create a unique level of vulnerability to natural disasters.

These varying levels of risk are showcased on a new map of the Caribbean and South America published this week in the journal PLOS ONE.

"We found that more than 500,000 people in Latin America and the Caribbean are living in areas where coastal hazards and poverty converge," lead researcher Juliano Calil said in a news release. "These are communities where scarce critical resources are consistently placed in hazards-prone areas, further exacerbating the impacts of coastal hazards."

The 2017 hurricane season decimated many vulnerable communities in the Caribbean. To better protect populations from future natural disasters, policy makers must know where resources are needed most.

To identify the most vulnerable communities, researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz and the University of Cantabria, in Spain, analyzed a variety of factors driving risk, including the number of people, the value of assets in a community and the amount of valuable resources and infrastructure lying in harms way.

The most vulnerable communities are those with large populations, limited assets and a large number of exposed resources. The research showed the Sinaloa state in Mexico to be especially at risk. El Oro in Ecuador and the province of Usulutan in El Salvador are also high-risk hotspots.

Researchers don't want policy makers to see their maps as simply a guide for where to build bigger storm walls. Instead, they hope national, state and local leaders will see their findings as a call to make comprehensive and sustainable improvements.

"Risks reduction and coastal adaptation efforts should not focus exclusively on developing coastal defenses," Calil said. "They must also consider better policies related to urban development, zoning, agriculture and land conservation practices, as well as on improving socioeconomic conditions."

Tweet

Scavenging to survive below the seafloor
Munich, Germany (SPX) Oct 31, 2017
Microorganisms living in the sediments buried below the seafloor obtain their nutrients by using secreted enzymes to degrade adsorbed detritus. A new study shows that in order to survive for long time scales, microorganisms eat one another after they die. The sediments that underlie the world's oceans harbor a diverse array of microbial communities. Many of the organisms in this cold, anox ... read more

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only