Typhoons, floods and droughts have claimed 2,704 lives and
inflicted economic losses of 212 billion yuan this year, a
meteorological official reported on Thursday.
"The losses China suffered this year were second only to those
inflicted in 1998 when an extremely severe flood ravaged the
country," said Qin Dahe, director of the China Meteorological
Administration.
This year, seven typhoons and seven strong tropical storms have
hit the Chinese mainland, including Typhoon Saomai, the strongest
typhoon to hit China since the founding of the People's Republic of
China in 1949, which claimed at least 460 lives.
The administration said both the intensity of the disaster
weather and the damages caused were "rare" in the country's
history.
This spring saw 18 sandstorms in northern China, a record high
since 2000, while in summer, the worst drought in a century ravaged
Chongqing Municipality of northwestern China, leaving more than 17
million people with drinking water shortages. Sichuan Province was
also stricken by its most severe drought since 1951.
Northern China experienced its worst acid rain in 14 years this
summer. In August, 80 percent of the rainy days in Beijing were
"acid rain days."
Since December, most parts of central and eastern China have
been cloaked in thick fog which has triggered frequent road
accidents and postponed flights.
Climate Center Director Dong Wenjie predicted that the weather
situation for 2007 could be worse than the average. Frequent
adverse weather including typhoons, flood, storms, drought, heat
wave and acid rains were possible, he said.
Qin Dahe urged meteorological departments at various levels to
keep high alert against bad weather and provide timely forecasts to
minimize damages. Meteorological services must be improved to
facilitate government reactions in case of emergencies, he
said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 29, 2006)