Flooded, Resettlements and Forgotten: Disaster Risk Transfer in Motozintla, Chiapas

Because of its vulnerable situation, the city of Motozintla (Chiapas, Mexico) is exposed to the risk of hydrometeorological disasters. Both the rains of 1998 and Hurricane Stan in 2005 caused a great deal of damage and many casualties. The authorities responded by imposing structural measures in the xelajú River and by resettling families from risk areas. Creating the new neighborhoods of Milenio and Vida Mejor reconfigured the space by disrupting social networks and redistributing risk. We expose some of the implications of the resettlement, emphasizing the need for applying participatory policies and for adapting the disaster recovery programs to the local context.