ESTADO DE LA REGIÓN

This report provides a spatial analysis of disaster incidence in Central America and the Dominican Republic between 1950 and 2020. It identifies that hydrometeorological events, specifically floods and landslides, are the most recurrent threats, often coinciding with high-density urban areas and coastal zones. The study highlights a significant increase in recorded disasters since 1990, peaking in 2010. It further correlates disaster risk with physical variables, noting that 70.7% of records occur below 1,000 meters above sea level and that a high percentage of critical territories are located in areas with medium to high population density. The analysis also observes a decline in forest cover and an increase in pasture land from 1990 to 2018, linking these land-use changes to increased disaster vulnerability.

• Floods and landslides are the most frequent threats in Central America and the Dominican Republic, accounting for 86% of all disaster records between 1950 and 2020.
• The annual number of recorded disasters rose sharply starting in the 1990s compared to the 1950-1990 period, reaching a peak of 2,544 records in 2010.
• A majority of disaster records (70.7%) are located at altitudes below 1,000 meters above sea level, which is partly attributed to high population concentrations at these elevations.
• There is a strong correlation between the timing of precipitation extremes and disaster occurrence, with 54% of droughts, floods, and landslides occurring during the most common drought months (March and April) and surplus precipitation months (October and November).
• Most critical territories for disaster incidence overlap with areas of medium or high population density (76 or more inhabitants per km2), particularly in capital cities and major urban centers.
• Between 1990 and 2018, there was a significant decrease in forest cover (a 23.3% reduction) and a corresponding increase in pasture land, which grew from 30% to 50% of the territory.
• The study identified specific 'multi-hazard' territories where high concentrations of floods, landslides, and droughts coincide, including the canton of Osa in Costa Rica, the municipality of San Pedro Sula in Honduras, and the Distrito Central in the Dominican Republic.

APA

NAP Global Network (n.d.). ESTADO DE LA REGIÓN. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ERCA-2021-Capitulo_6_Desastres.pdf

Chicago

NAP Global Network. ESTADO DE LA REGIÓN. n.d. https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ERCA-2021-Capitulo_6_Desastres.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=NAP Global Network |title=ESTADO DE LA REGIÓN |url=https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ERCA-2021-Capitulo_6_Desastres.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{napglobalnetworkndestado, author = {{NAP Global Network}}, title = {{ESTADO DE LA REGIÓN}}, institution = {NAP Global Network}, url = {https://napglobalnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/ERCA-2021-Capitulo_6_Desastres.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }