Community-led Scientific Initiatives Boost Disaster Risk Management in Caraguatatuba During National Science and Technology Week
Caraguatatuba leverages community engagement and scientific tools for enhanced disaster risk management during Brazil’s National Science and Technology Week.
- • Caraguatatuba’s Civil Defense showcased the Social Cartography Program updating disaster risk maps with community involvement.
- • The city manages 22 landslide and 23 flood risk areas, monitored by 15 automatic rain gauges providing real-time alerts.
- • A Contingency Plan is being finalized with a public hearing scheduled for October 23.
- • Experts highlighted the importance of integrating local populations in disaster prevention strategies.
Key details
On October 20, Caraguatatuba’s Civil Defense actively participated in the National Science and Technology Week at the Federal Institute of São Paulo (IFSP) campus, advancing efforts in disaster risk management. Professor Francisco Fabbro Neto presented the Social Cartography Program, an ongoing project since February focused on updating the disaster risk map in the neighborhoods of Casabranca and Olaria. This project engages local residents and engineering students in field surveys to identify risk perceptions and propose both structural and non-structural solutions. Captain Oduvaldo Romano, the Civil Defense coordinator, highlighted Caraguatatuba’s challenging geography, home to 22 landslide and 23 flood risk areas. The city employs a monitoring network of 15 automatic rain gauges from Cemaden, providing real-time alerts to over 100,000 residents via a designated service channel. The municipality is also finalizing its Contingency Plan, set for a public hearing on October 23. Complementing these efforts, speakers from neighboring São Sebastião and experts like geographer Pedro Leal emphasized the critical role of community involvement in disaster prevention and resilience. These initiatives illustrate how combining scientific technology with community engagement strengthens disaster preparedness amid Brazil’s climate challenges, fitting this year’s national event theme centered on sustainability and innovative solutions to climate change.