China Strengthens Disaster Mitigation After Fatal Landslides

The Government of China is strengthening its national capabilities to prevent and mitigate landslides and floods as part of a broader response to climate change. The Ministry of Natural Resources will specifically prioritize the prevention of shallow landslides and debris flows triggered by extreme rainfall. These measures follow a series of fatal disasters, including a mountain collapse in Chongqing that killed 51 people and flash flood-triggered landslides in Gansu province that killed 25 people.

Authorities have identified more than 270,000 geological hazard sites nationwide, which threaten approximately 11 million people. To improve risk identification, the government will deploy aerospace remote sensing technology for monitoring.

Key priority areas for these initiatives include the Yaxia Hydropower Project construction site, the Wumeng Mountains, the Yanshan-Taihang Mountains, and the Three Gorges Reservoir Area.