Social vulnerability to flooding in Ecuador : input variables, PCA vs Expert composite indices

Social vulnerability indices are used to better understand and predict the consequences of disasters, and support the development of improved disaster management policies. This research specifically supports the Ecuadorian Red Cross in generating a flood-specific social vulnerability index to inform flash flood early action protocol.

The dataset presents the results from the analysis of the social vulnerability to flooding in Ecuador, from individual input variables to the composite indices outputs. The results are available at the Parroquia level in Ecuador (admin level 3), for 1032 Parroquia excluding the Galapagos Islands.

The dataset comprises, for each Parroquia, the estimation of 15 variables characterizing the social vulnerability to flooding specific to Ecuador context. The variables are selected from literature review and consultation with Ecuadorian Red Cross disaster practitioners : Disability, Poverty incidence, Gini Index, Agricultural labor share, Vectorborne disease incidence, Waterborne disease incidence, Social Security affiliation, Education level, Sanitation, Driking water access, Power access, Road travel time, Wall structure, Mobile access and Internet access. All variables are normalized from 0 to 1, directed toward increasing vulnerability, and renamed accordingly.

In addition, the Administrative level names, PCODE, calculated Area, population density, as well as related sub-regions are also referenced.

Individual variables are integrated into composite vulnerability indices, using two different approaches:  i) the Principal Component Analysis approach, using the first component PCA(n=1) and the first 5 components PCA(n=5) separately ; ii) the expert judgement weighting of the variables. The output composite indices, normalized from 0 to 1 are presented in 3 separated columns.