Flood Risk Management Plans in Volcanic Islands: Analysis, Discussion, and Lessons Learned in the Canary Islands
Floods are risks arising from natural phenomena such as torrential rainfall over short periods or rising sea levels. In limited territories, like islands, these phenomena reduce geographical space and have severe environmental and economic consequences. The Canary Islands (Spain) is a territory where numerous floods have occurred throughout history. The regional authorities have undertaken Flood Risk Plans as part of the Hydrological Programme for the archipelago. Climate change and the Canary Islands’ orography make them prone to adverse weather phenomena like heavy rains and the gradual disappearance of coastal territories due to wave action and progressive rising sea levels. These factors have prompted this review of Flood Risk Plans in the Canary Islands, Spain. Furthermore, an assessment of the archipelago’s hydrological and orographic conditions has been conducted to contextualize the islands’ situation regarding flood risks. The results obtained indicate that there is a nee...