This photo taken on May 1, 2024 shows the site of an expressway collapse accident on the Meizhou-Dabu Expressway in Meizhou, South China's Guangdong Province. Photo: Xinhua

China Meteorological Administration (CMA) announced on Wednesday that it analyzed data of nationwide climate disasters from 1978 to 2020 and found a notable increase on the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and heavy rainfall disasters affecting both northern and southern areas of the country. 

The database encompasses 10 categories of meteorological disasters across 337 cities, 2,764 counties, and 86 special zoning areas nationwide from 1978 to 2020. The administration compiled 32 categories of disaster-causing factor data. The CMA has also developed more than 200,000 disaster risk assessment and zoning products based on the same comprehensive dataset.

A significant component of the database comprises over 5,000 historical events of major national climate disasters. One notable revelation is the heightened activity of typhoons that affected northern regions in recent years, resulting in greater disaster impacts. Consequently, there has been a call for increased attention to mitigate the effects on northern and northeastern China.

Moreover, the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation have shown a notable increase, particularly in the past decade. The northern region has witnessed intensified heavy precipitation, forming a trend of heavy rainfall disasters affecting both northern and southern areas.

Last summer, the torrential rain that pounded Beijing and other northern China regions for consecutive days and extensive flooding caused dozens of deaths.

Recently, the occurrence of extreme rainfall in South China's Guangdong Province, along with the impacts on Southwest China's Guizhou and South China's Guangxi, underscored the urgency of addressing this phenomenon.

The Meizhou-Dabu Expressway collapse on May 1, which claimed 48 lives, took place following days of localized heavy rainfall. Meizhou has experienced multiple heavy storms since April, with the city's average cumulative rainfall reaching 621.7 millimeters, 2.49 times more than the same period in a typical year, local authorities said during a news conference on Thursday. This surpasses the historical record for April rainfall since meteorological records began in 1980.

Additionally, there has been a significant rise in the frequency and intensity of high-temperature disasters, elevating the risk associated with such events. The compounding effect of low-temperature disasters has also emerged as a notable concern.

The comprehensive analysis conducted by the administration sheds light on evolving patterns of meteorological disasters across the nation, highlighting the need for proactive measures to mitigate their impact and enhance resilience.

Global Times