Description

A significant increase in the impacts caused by extreme events, of both natural and anthropogenic origin, has been observed in recent decades at a global scale. Chile is no exception to this dynamic. Hazards of various origins and their interactions with socioeconomic, urban, and demographic changes, combined with governance issues have led to a significant risk increase. An accurate assessment of this risk is a significantly complex problem and a holistic approach is required. To address this issue, a multi‐criteria decision model has been designed, using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), which includes qualitative and quantitative variables. The model can be adapted to different contexts, generating a comparable metrics (commensurable) for different cities. The three cities analyzed in this study (Iquique, Puerto Montt, and Puerto Varas) show different levels of risks as a result of a synergic and dynamic combination of factors related not only with natural and physical conditions but also particularly with the variables related to social vulnerability and resilience capacity.

Chapter