China completes 4-tier disaster risk evaluation via national survey

BEIJING -- China has completed the natural disaster risk evaluation and hazard zonation at the national, provincial, municipality and county levels, based on the results of the country's first national survey on natural disaster risks.

The survey includes results from the hazard evaluation and zonation, categorized by types of natural disasters, of 31 provincial-level regions as well as Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, 333 municipalities and 2,846 counties, said Zheng Guoguang, director of the office of the first national survey on natural disaster risks leading group under the State Council, on Wednesday.

A comprehensive hazard map and a natural disaster prevention and control zonation map have been compiled, together with the hazard zonation mapping of seismic intensity, geological disaster prevention and flood control in major rivers, among others, Zheng told a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

China has also established a national database on natural disaster risks, including sub-databases across 31 provincial-level regions and 10 industries, based on the results of the survey, Zheng added.

The nationwide survey, which lasted from 2020 to 2022 and involved 5 million people, collected a vast amount of data about natural hazards.

Given the evolving disaster-inducing factors, hazard-affected bodies, and mitigation and coping capacity, it is imperative to carry out the disaster risk survey and evaluation work on a regular basis, Zheng noted.