Spatial and temporal changes of meteorological disasters in China during 1950-2013

Nat Hazards (2015) 75:26072623

DOI 10.1007/s11069-014-1446-3

ORIGINAL PAPER

Yinghui Guan Fenli Zheng Peng Zhang Chao Qin

Received: 13 August 2014 / Accepted: 18 September 2014 / Published online: 27 September 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014

Abstract Flood, drought, hail, low temperature and frost disasters from low temperature and frost (DLTF), and snowstorm are the ve main meteorological disasters (MDs) in China. Based on the collection of historical documents during 19502013 and ofcial records between 2012 and 2013, this paper analyzed the temporal trends of affected area induced by MDs during 19502013 and the spatiotemporal characteristics of disaster frequency in recent 2 years in China. Besides, the direct economic losses and deaths caused by MDs were further discussed at a provincial level. Results showed that the affected area of MDs, especially ood, drought and DLTF signicantly increased during the past 60 years. Flood was the most frequent disaster in China during 2012 and 2013, followed by hail. Spatial patterns of disaster frequency showed that there were more frequent oods in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River basin, droughts in central and southwest China, hails in north, northwest and southwest China, DLTFs and snowstorms in north, northwest China and individual areas in south China. However, the economic losses caused by MDs were higher in economically developed provinces, and the deaths were higher in mountain regions. Additionally, ood was the major disasters type that contributing to the most losses in most regions of China. These results play an important theoretical guiding role in meteorological disaster prediction, disaster prevention and reduction in the future.

Keywords Meteorological disasters China Frequency Economic losses Deaths

Y. Guan F. Zheng P. Zhang C. Qin

College of Resources and Environment, State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, Peoples Republic of China

Y. Guan F. Zheng (&) P. Zhang C. Qin

Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, CAS & MWR, 26 Xinong Rd., Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, Peoples Republic of Chinae-mail: [email protected]

Spatial and temporal changes of meteorological disasters in China during 19502013

123

2608 Nat Hazards (2015) 75:26072623

1 Introduction

Meteorological disaster (MD) is one of the most deadly and costly natural disasters in the...