Journal of Natural Disaster Science

ANALYSIS OF THE "POVERTY-NATURAL DISASTER" RELATIONSHIP IN THE CITY OF BUENOS AIRES (ARGENTINA)

Claudio F. SZLAFSZTEIN*
Master Environmental Science Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University

(Received 9 January, 1995 and in revised form 13 July, 1995)

Abstract

The poor population, which particularly is afFected by the natural hazards, is one of the groups most vulnerable to natural disasters. Almost every year the city of Buenos Aires (Argentina) suffers from floods. To determine some of the aspects of the poverty-natural disasters relationship, the spatial distribution of the poor population (based on the location of low quality houses and shantytowns) in areas affected by flooding is analyzed.

Unlike in other big cities in developing countries, the poor of Buenos Aires do not belong to the "vulnerable population" group in terms of natural disasters; the rich inhabitants and their properties are the first and most important victims of flooding events in the city.

Key words

natural disasters, valnerable groups, city of Buenos Aires