THE IMPACT OF FLOODS IN THE NORTHERN AREA OF THE ATACAMA DESERT: A SYSTEMATIC HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE EVENTS IN THE PERIOD 1911 TO 2022

Flood events and debris flows are the main threats to people’s livelihoods and significantly impact development worldwide. In the Atacama Desert, these events are frequent and capable of causing disasters and damage to the population, infrastructure, and productive sectors. This article investigates the impact of flood events and debris flows in the Tacna region, located in the Atacama Desert. The record of debris-flow events from 1911 to 2022 and ENSO events in the study region from 4000 BC to 2022 were reviewed and analyzed to assess these impacts. The results show that more than 20 flood events and debris flows have occurred in the Tacna region in the last 100 years, causing substantial direct and indirect damage to the population and urban and rural infrastructure such as homes, bridges, roads, and agricultural areas. Furthermore, despite the evidence of these events, we have not learned the lessons of our ancestors, and in the 21st century, we continue to expose ourselves to this situation.