City of three rivers. The social construction of flood risk in Culiacán, Sinaloa

Abstract

The article analyzes the relationship between flood risk and social vulnerability in Culiacán, México, by to its geography and settlement patterns. It focuses on three highly vulnerable neighborhoods in the north of the city affected by two tropical cyclones. The methodology included bibliographic review, document analysis, interviews with government officials and ethnographic work. The contribution of the study points out to the lack of a complete risk management strategy in urban planning and citizen awareness, concluding that economic and sociocultural factors influence the decision to live in flood-prone areas.