China’s emergency management ministry reported significant economic losses and casualties due to natural disasters in the first quarter of 2024. The total direct economic impact reached 23.76 billion yuan ($3.28 billion).
Several events contributed to the damage, including:
Extreme Weather: Floods inundated regions, while droughts caused hardship in others. Several cold spells also wreaked havoc across the country.
Earthquake: A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Xinjiang province, causing widespread destruction and casualties.
Landslides: In the southwestern province of Yunnan, landslides triggered by heavy rains triggered mudslides and damaged infrastructure.
These events tragically resulted in the deaths of 79 people and the emergency relocation of 110,000 individuals. Over 10.4 million people across 26 provinces were affected.
The report also highlighted other natural disasters such as droughts affecting 424,000 hectares (10,500 acres) of crops in the southwest, sandstorms blowing through the northwest, and forest fires erupting in the southwest and south.
For comparison, China faced significantly higher economic losses in 2023, with natural disasters causing 345.45 billion yuan ($47.7 billion) in damage and claiming 691 lives.
Recognizing the challenges, the emergency management ministry announced a three-year plan to tackle issues hindering disaster response. Their focus includes improving response times, enhancing coordination between local and national authorities, and addressing safety lapses in industries like mining, which can exacerbate the impact of natural disasters.
