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RISK ANALYSIS
Priority hazard and its historical impact
El Salvador, due to its location in the heart of Central America, is under the influence of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which influences, among other things, the rainfall regime where there is only one dry and one rainy season. Although earthquakes are a significant threat, rains associated with tropical cyclones represent a more frequent and direct risk with more visible and widespread effects on the population. The rains caused by tropical cyclones in El Salvador represent a critical priority in risk analysis due to their capacity to generate intense and sudden rainfall, which can cause floods and landslides. For example, a hurricane can generate more than 150 millimeters of rain per day, which can result in severe flooding, landslides and landslides (General Directorate of Threats and Natural Resources Observatory, 2024). Of the events recorded between 1921 and 2014 51.52% of floods and 29.54% of landslides are attributed to extreme rainfall (DesInventar, 2024).
Rainfall is intensified and focused by the action of tropical cyclones, triggering extreme episodes in their magnitude and in their periodicity. The extreme rains associated with these cyclones cause loss of life, health impacts, displacements, and impacts on livelihoods, among others. For this reason, the Salvadoran Red Cross, in coordination with the General Directorate of Civil Protection, Disaster Prevention and Mitigation of El Salvador (Civil Protection), has categorized the threat of extreme rains as a priority climatic phenomenon. Table 1 presents a summary of the main extreme rainfall events, detailing the area of influence and the event and the number of people affected.