Hurricanes are becoming common shocks in the Caribbean and
the northern part of the Pacific. According to some researchers
(Anthes et al., 2006) there is increasing evidence, although still
uncertain, pointing to the fact that the warming of the oceans due
to global climate change may result in seasons with higher
frequency of hurricanes, even though some claim that the cyclonic
activity in the previous decade has not been different from that of
the first part of the 20th century (Landsea, 2005). Aside from this
debate, the fact is that the hits by these climatic events are
affecting more people and the identification of specifically affected
sectors of the population becomes relevant for creating more
precise public policy to cope with those shocks.
For Mexico, a country that is constantly hit by hurricanes on
both the Atlantic–Caribbean and the Pacific coasts where
approximately 24% of the total population dwells, the identification
of who is affected is an issue that deserves to be analyzed for
the social implications it may have on well-being. A middleincome
country with high levels of poverty and inequality, and a
labor market stuck in informality and low productivity activities,
Mexico becomes an interesting field of study for social effects from
hurricanes and other natural events.