Disaster risk areas in Brazil: outcomes from an intra-urban scale analysis

Abstract

PurposeThis paper aims to shed some light on the distribution of population, living in disaster risk areas in Brazil, on the intra-urban scale. The following three aspects are evaluated in this paper: the distribution of exposed population according to municipal size classification; the population density in disaster risk areas; and the municipal human development classification for the municipalities with disaster risk areas.Design/methodology/approachThis research is based on an explorative approach. The main database used is a result of the association of landslide and flood risk areas to demographic census, available for 825 Brazilian municipalities. Additional databases were integrated to characterize disaster risk management and municipal human development.FindingsThe results revealed that the population exposed to disaster areas is concentrated within the capitals and small cities in the country. Moreover, disaster risk areas are densely populated even in small cities, suggesting that it is a reality faced not only by the larger cities. Finally, disaster risk areas exist even inside municipalities with a high level of human development.Practical implicationsThese findings could contribute to the understanding of the spatialisation of disaster risk in Brazil, a primordial step for the reduction of human losses.Originality/valueA novel perspective about the Brazilian population exposed to disaster risk was obtained, revealing a current issue faced by the municipalities independent of the size classification and level of human development.