Journal Article

A participatory community case study of periurban coastal flood vulnerability in southern Ecuador

Mendoza, Jhoyzett, De La Cuadra, Telmo, Stewart-Ibarra, Anna M, Cunalata, Jorge, Tauzer, Erica, Borbor-Cordova, Mercy J

2019

Overview

Populations in coastal cities are exposed to increasing risk of flooding, resulting in rising damages to health and assets. Adaptation measures, such as early warning systems for floods (EWSFs), have the potential to reduce the risk and impact of flood events when tailored to reflect the local social-ecological context and needs. Community perceptions and experiences play a critical role in risk management, since perceptions influence people's behaviors in response to EWSFs and other interventions. We investigated community perceptions and responses in flood-prone periurban areas in the coastal city of Machala, Ecuador. Focus groups (n = 11) were held with community members (n = 65 people) to assess perceptions of flood exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity, and current alert systems. Discussions were audio recorded, transcribed, and coded by topic. Participatory maps were field validated, georeferenced, and digitized using GIS software. Qualitative data were triangulated with historical government information on rainfall, flood events, population demographics, and disease outbreaks. Flooding was associated with seasonal rainfall, El Niño events, high ocean tides, blocked drainage areas, overflowing canals, collapsed sewer systems, and low local elevation. Participatory maps revealed spatial heterogeneity in perceived flood risk across the community. Ten areas of special concern were mapped, including places with strong currents during floods, low elevation areas with schools and homes, and other places that accumulate stagnant water. Sensitive populations included children, the elderly, physically handicapped people, low-income families, and recent migrants. Flood impacts included damages to property and infrastructure, power outages, and the economic cost of rebuilding/repairs. Health impacts included outbreaks of infectious diseases, skin infections, snakebite, and injury/drowning. Adaptive capacity was weakest during the preparation and recovery stages of flooding. Participants perceived that their capacity to take action was limited by a lack of social organization, political engagement, and financial capital. People perceived that flood forecasts were too general, and instead relied on alerts via social media. This study highlights the challenges and opportunities for climate change adaptation in coastal cities. Areas of special concern provide clear local policy targets. The participatory approach presented here (1) provides important context to shape local policy and interventions in Ecuador, complimenting data gathered through standard flood reports, (2) provides a voice for marginalized communities and a mechanism to raise local awareness, and (3) provides a research framework that can be adapted to other resource-limited coastal communities at risk of flooding.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Adaptation / Adaptive systems / Adult / Analysis / Bites (Injuries) / Canals / Case reports / Cities and towns / Climate adaptation / Climate Change / Climate change adaptation / Coastal flooding / Collaboration / Communicable diseases / Community / Community involvement / Community participation / Community-Based Participatory Research - methods / Consent / Demographics / Demography / Dengue fever / Digital media / Digitization / Disabled persons / Disasters / Disasters - prevention & control / Drainage area / Drainage canals / Drainage systems / Drowning / Early warning systems / Earth Sciences / Economic conditions / Economic impact / Ecuador / El Nino / El Nino events / Elderly / Electric power / Elevation / Emergency communications systems / Emergency preparedness / Engineering and Technology / Environmental aspects / Environmental risk / Epidemiology / Family / Flood damage / Flood forecasting / Flood mapping / Flood risk / Flooding / Floods / Floods - prevention & control / Forecasting / Geographic information systems / Geriatrics / Global temperature changes / Government information / Health / Health aspects / Health care costs / Heterogeneity / Humans / Impact damage / Infectious diseases / Information management / Infrastructure (Economics) / Land settlement / Low income groups / Maintenance / Marginalized groups / Medical economics / Medicine and Health Sciences / Ocean tides / open climate campaign / Outbreaks / People and places / People with disabilities / Perceptions / Physically disabled persons / Populations / Power failures / Qualitative analysis / Qualitative Research / Rain / Rainfall / Research and Analysis Methods / Risk management / Schools / Seasonal rainfall / Sewer systems / Skin / Skin diseases / Snake bites / Social media / Social organization / Social Sciences / Spatial heterogeneity / Stagnant water / Tropical diseases / Vulnerable Populations - psychology / Warning systems / West Nile virus