Underlying Disaster Risk Factors for Torrential Floods, Flooding and Mass Movements in Carmen de Atrato, Colombia

Geomorphological and climatic variations in Colombia make a large part of the territory vulnerable to disaster risks, as a result of multiple underlying factors that require identification for proper management. For this reason, the underlying factors associated with the vulnerability of the municipality of Carmen de Atrato were determined. A perception, social and territorial analysis was carried out based on information gathered through surveys and semi-structured interviews, which included information related to socioeconomic, demographic, climate variability and natural resources, territorial planning and governance dimensions. With this information, the main factors were defined and weighted. It was observed that mass movements have the highest level of occurrence, followed by torrential floods and floods. Interconnections between variables were found, highlighting the scarce participation of communities in activities related to risk management due to their limited knowledge of planning instruments. A decrease in forest cover was noted in high-risk zones, related to changes in land use for economic activities. Finally, the high levels of risk identified suggest that prompt and effective intervention should be made.