From dump-sites to resilient urban residence areas : Successful adaptation to tropical cyclone related flooding in Nicaragua

• Main Author: Jokinen, Johanna
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholms universitet, Institutionen för naturgeografi och kvartärgeologi (INK) 2009
• Subjects: vulnerability; adaptation; tropical cyclone activity; flooding; climate change; Nicaragua; North Atlantic
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-28469

This MSc thesis contributes with new information on how vulnerability to tropical cyclone (TC) induced flooding has evolved at two coastal lowland study sites in the town of Corinto in Nicaragua over a period of 50 years. The research was done through rain station data analyses, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Analyses of changing poverty, human mobility, housing conditions, and occurrence of flood-related diseases were used as additional indicators supporting the overall vulnerability assessment. The recent increase in the North Atlantic TC activity can not be seen in the data from Corinto. The both studied neighborhoods built on dump-sites and mangrove marsh have clearly become less exposed, less sensitive, and more resilient to external stress brought by TCs. These two sites have been developing into different directions since one has reached a more prosper status whereas the other is still rather marginal. The former has been supported by the local government while the latter has been growing in a less regulated way. This thesis suggests that there are coastal communities in developing countries, which are able to cope with and adapt to extreme climate events even though this kind of vulnerability has been predicted to increase due to global warming.