Disaster Risk Management in China

Abstract

Disasters have been endemic throughout history. In Judeo history, the flood survived by Noah was about as complete a disaster to contemporary humankind as can be imagined. Egypt was plagued with droughts and floods of the Nile. In Greek/Roman culture, events such as eruptions of Mount Vesuvius caused tremendous suffering and damage. Similar disasters disrupted human activity throughout the world, to include unrecorded events at Easter Island. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies stated that over a recent 10 year period, almost two billion people have been affected by disasters. People in Asia accounted for almost 89% of the population affected by natural disasters between 1975 and 2003.