Landslide evaluation and the correlation with urban planning policy gaps, in south-central Chile

Rapid and unplanned urbanization through informal settlements has intensified environmental degradation and increased exposure to natural hazards, limiting sustainable urban growth. Chile, identified by the IPCC as highly vulnerable to climate change, faces growing landslide risks driven by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Since the enactment of the Disaster Risk Law (Law 21,364, 2021), Chile has begun decentralizing disaster management; however, preventive and planning-oriented approaches remain limited. This study examines the integration of disaster risk management into urban planning in southern Chile, focusing on how local planning instruments address landslide risk. A multicriteria spatial analysis was conducted to assess susceptibility, physical vulnerability, and risk, compared with zoning defined by Metropolitan and Communal Regulatory Plans (PRM/PRC). Additionally, nearly 50 planning instruments were reviewed. Results show that 70 % of recorded landslides occurred in areas of medium to high susceptibility. Lota presents the largest susceptible area, while Concepción shows the highest physical vulnerability and risk (25.08 km 2 of high-risk zones). In most municipalities, risk areas identified in this study exceed those officially recognized. The findings emphasize the need to systematically incorporate vulnerability into planning frameworks and strengthen land-use regulations to improve disaster risk governance in developing urban contexts. • Calculated landslide risk exceeds official designations. • Outdated and inconsistent urban planning instruments. • Institutional and technical limitations hinder implementation. • Weak coordination undermines governance. • Need for comprehensive, standardized, and enforced approaches.