MAPPING RISK OF MASS MOVEMENT IN MÃE LUÍZA, APARECIDA SECTOR, NATAL / RN
Risk analysis; Mass movement; Dune.
The occupation of slopes near riverbanks is quite recurrent in many regions of Brazil. Most of them irregularly and occurring without adequate planning. Due to that, natural characteristics unsuitable for land use, along with anthropic actions, end up causing mass movements, which can seriously affect the local communities. In Natal do Rio Grande in the North, this reality also occurs, as is the case of the neighborhood of Mãe Luíza. Given this scenario, this study aims to map the risks of mass movement in an area belonging to the neighborhood of Mãe Luíza, between Camaragibe and Atalaia streets. The risk mapping of the area under study was carried out based on the methodology proposed by Brazil (2007). Three classes of risks were defined: low, medium and high risk. Three critical areas were analyzed, in which thirty-four properties were analyzed. Among these, only six are at risk of medium mass movement and all the other twenty-eight properties are at high risk. The high risk attributed to the properties was mainly due to the precariousness of the existing slope protection structures in the area under study, that associated with factors such as high waterproofing rate, irregular constructions, among other factors. Thus, to guarantee the habitability of the properties analyzed, it is evident the need for corrective measures in the situations encountered, in addition to public policies for controlling the occupation of risk areas.