VULNERABILITY TO NATURAL DISASTERS IN SELECTED HYDROGRAPHIC BASINS IN PANAMA, USING GIS AND REMOTE SENSING

This paper describes the application of techniques and procedures for vulnerability determination of selected watersheds with different forest cover and anthropogenic intervention levels, useful to prevent, manage and evaluate the occurrence and consequences of natural disasters caused by hydrometeorological phenomena, especially landslides.

Natural disasters related to extreme hydrometeorological phenomena, mainly heavy rains cause landslides, floods, floodwaters of rivers and streams, which regularly take the population and the authorities by surprise without adequate preparation or knowledge about the magnitude and consequences of these events. With modern technology of Remote Sensing and GIS, combined with additional information like soil sampling, rainfall, geology and socioeconomic data we can characterize and describe the general conditions of the study area.

One of the main topics analyzed in this study is the role that soils play in the occurrence of natural disasters, especially landslides.

The main benefits lie in the development of remote sensing digital processing techniques, incorporating digital terrain models and fieldwork to identify, map and characterize vulnerability areas. High-resolution satellite imagery and aerial photography taken by drones are being used. Hydrological parameters have been raised in the field to characterize the water regime of the sub-basin.