Vulnerability Assessment in the Caribbean islands using a synergistic GIS approach

The Caribbean region has been identified as one of the most hazard prone region, being vulnerable to tropical storms andfloods. This vulnerability is highlighted by the recent R3i project reporting that over the period 1846-1978, thirty four percent (34%) of all recorded disasters occurred in the Latin America-Caribbean region, and caused over one million deaths.The sustainable development of the region is therefore under constant threat of being eroded from the occurrence of one or more of these hazards. These events have the capacity to retard the development process by destroying the wealth created over time. The current research examines the basic requirements for the structural and operational vulnerability assessmentof the built environmentand infrastructure to hazards through the element at risk delineation and the estimate of potential losses. Starting from the regional Caribbean islands scale,with a specific downscaling focus on the Cayman Islands the expert knowledge,based onthe Source-Pathway-Receptor-Consequence (S-P-R-C) framework of critical facilities, the research develops an appliedprogram designed to keep managersinvolved within aGIS-based probabilistic approach to support effective vulnerability assessment enabling operational resilience of the local communities. Based on three steps, the study develops a risk assessment for human use and critical facilities for different coastal zones subject to multiple hazards. Ranges of ready-to-use GIS methodologies are considered, including element at risk calculation (tabulate analysis of critical infrastructure), estimation of loss (such as vulnerability curves) and operational vulnerability analysisto identify potential impacts. The three step exercise has been successfully tested with training activities and it can be considered a valuable tool to build capacities for decision-makers and to analyze current and future vulnerability levels to natural and anthropogenichazard. It would support hazard management offices and related territorial planning infrastructure in preparedness, response, rescue and recovery strategies implementation.