Urbanscapes of disaster are socially and environmentally constituted. Drawing upon the theoretical framework of social vulnerability to disasters, the concept of urbanscape is enriched and empirically verified. This paper highlights how urban social hazards are more relevant for vulnerable people than the risk of experiencing the negative effects of extreme natural events. The analysis of floods in a slum located in a Mexican city reveals intricate socioenvironmental conditions underpinning a disaster process. Findings reveal that social, political, and economic hazards (including criminal hazards), imposed by the urban model on its inhabitants, are the most difficult to cope with and adapt to. This paper contributes to the wider literature on disasters, presenting an in–depth qualitative analysis of the factors propelling urban dwellers to endure in a vulnerable urbanscape, regardless of the physical and environmental conditions at the site.
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