Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction 2015
Making development sustainable: The future of disaster risk management


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(Source: CIMNE-INGENIAR, 2014.)
Box 3.2 Strong wind and storm surge risk in Belize City
In the context of an assessment supported by the Inter-American Development Bank, tropical cyclone (hurricane) AAL in Belize City was estimated at US$37 million (ERN-AL, 2010

ERN America Latina (Evaluación de Riesgos Naturales - América Latina). 2010,Belize, Central America Probabilistic Risk Assessment. Task IV: Hazard, Risk Maps and Risk Management Applications. Technical Report, Subtask 4.2b - Disaster Risk Assessment for Belize City.. .
). Through the collection of detailed information on building classes, topography and bathymetry, it was possible to identify the areas at risk from both hurricane winds and storm surges.

In the case of storm surge (left-hand map) only low-elevation areas located within a certain distance from the shore are at risk, whereas wind hazard is distributed throughout the city (right-hand map). These results formed the basis for an emergency response plan devised by the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO). In addition, training activities have been implemented with many institutions to evaluate the hazards and risk with a probabilistic approach.
The risks were evaluated on the basis of the current level of hazard as well as future scenarios of climate change.
Tropical cyclone risk from storm surge (AAL by building)
Tropical cyclone risk from strong wind (AAL by building)
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