Despite 2013 being yet another horrific year for floods in China, State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters reported yesterday that flood related deaths in 2013 were 70% lower than the average of the last 22 years.
Last year there were 774 people killed in floods in China, and a further 374 still missing. A massive 120 million were affected by flooding across the country in 2013. Despite this huge figure, State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters say this is actually 30% lower than average years.
The floods in northeast China and the provinces of Sichuan and Guangdong during 2013 caused the heaviest losses. Although the floods in north east China lasted for almost 2 months, the floods in the provinces of Sichuan and Guangdong alone accounted for 40% of the fatalities. These disastrous floods were a result of especially heavy rainfall and river overflows, such as the May floods, or severe weather bought by tropical storms, such as Tropical Storm Rumbia and Typhoon Soulik.
The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters also said that flood disaters in 2013 accounted for looses of 314.6 billion yuan ($51.48 billion U.S. Dollars).
sources: MWR; Xinhua Net
