Ministry warns of more disasters as extreme weather persists

The Ministry of Natural Resources said on Wednesday that multiple regions in the country are still at high risk of geological disasters caused by heavy rainfall, floods and typhoons.

Soil has been saturated in mountainous regions in northern China, increasing the risk of geological hazards such as landslide from late August to early September, said the ministry. 

The ministry urged local authorities to prioritize protecting key areas including schools, hospitals, nursing homes, rural guesthouses, mining sites, construction sites and tourist destinations.

The ministry also required enhanced analysis, monitoring and early warnings of natural disasters.

From January to July, China witnessed 1,243 geological disasters, of which 26 resulted in casualties, claiming 52 lives. These disasters caused economic losses totaling 267.94 million yuan ($36.78 million).

The ministry said that the country has prevented 132 geological disasters during that period by predicting them, potentially saving the lives of 1,606 people. 

According to meteorological data, the country experienced seven bouts of heavy rainfall from July 16 to Aug 15 — three of them in North and Northeast China. In several areas, daily precipitation broke records.