Overview of Global Climate In 2000, some parts of the world experienced abnormal weather, such as abnormal warming, cold, extreme aridity and rainfall. However, most of the parts of the world had the normal weather. Generally, the global climate continues its warming trend. The global temperature was similar to that in 1999 but 0.32 C higher than the average temperature from 1961 to 1999. The hurricanes of the Atlantic and typhoons in the tropical areas have exceeded the average number while the northwest Pacific and the South China Sea had only 24 tropical typhoons, which were fewer than the average number.

Climatic Characteristics in China In 2000, the majority of China had less rainfall or normal precipitation. The drought occurred nationwide, particularly unprecedented drought in spring and summer in the northern parts for years. The summer drought was also obvious in some parts of south China. The storms and floods did not take place in a wide range during the flood season. In autumn, rainfall continued for some time in the area south of the Yellow and Huai Rivers. The majority of parts of China had normal or a little high temperature. The summer was hot with high temperature. In spring, north China had frequent sandstorms. China has fewer typhoons and other extreme weather conditions like hailstorms. In terms of agricultural production, the weather conditions were poor in 2000. For other economic activities, the year 2000 was a common year.

Climatic Disasters In 2000, China suffered unprecedented drought nationwide. This was one of the years with most severe droughts since 1949. From February to July, the drought of various degrees occurred in the parts of north and northwest China, the Yellow River Basin, the Huai River Basin, northeast China, the Yangtse and Huai River Basin, Han River Basin and the middle and low reaches of the Yangtse River. The drought and high temperature caused a disaster of grasshoppers in a large area of the northern parts of China. The water flow of major rivers was basically normal. In 2000, China had less frequency of floods. In the spring of 2000, north China had frequent sandstorms.

In the spring of 2000, some pastoral areas in Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia suffered from heavy snow disasters. 25 persons were killed, 16 in Inner Mongolia and 9 in Xinjiang. 788,000 animals died, 467,000 in Inner Mongolia and 321,000 in Xinjiang.

Earthquakes In 2000, there were 51 earthquakes in China registered 5 scales of magnitude above(including 5). Among them, 16 happened in Taiwan Province, 5 in the marine areas of northwest of Hualian, Taiwan Province and 29 in mainland China. In breakdowns by province, 13 happened in Qinghai, 8 in Tibet, 4 in Yunnan, 2 in Xinjiang, 1 in Liaoning and 1 in Gansu. There were 7 earthquakes registered 6 scales above, 2 in mainland China and 5 others in Taiwan Province. The biggest earthquake happened in Xinhai, Qinghai which was registered 6.6 scales on September 12. The one second to it in scale was that in Yao’an, Yunnan Province on January 5, which was registered 6.5 in scale. Taiwan Province had more frequent earthquakes than normal and mainland China had fewer than 1999.

In 2000, ten earthquake disasters occurred in mainland. About 1.7 million people were affected by the earthquakes. Among them, 8 people were killed, 119 people seriously injured and 2571 people slightly injured. The earthquakes caused the destruction of houses of 5.03 million square meters, 588,044 square meters of houses seriously damaged and 4,231,442 square meters of houses had intermediate damage. The direct economic loss due to the earthquakes came up to 1.45 billion yuan.

Geological Disasters In 2000, north China had less rainfall while some geological disasters occurred in southwest, northwest and southeast coastal China, such as landslide, mud flow, collapse and pitfalls. According to incomplete statistics, 1102 persons died from geological disasters, 63 persons missing and 26,709 slightly injured.

National Program for Preventing and Controlling Geological Disasters, 2001-2015 The Ministry of Land Resources formulated and promulgated the National Program for Preventing and Controlling Geological Disasters, 2001-2015. The program includes the guiding principles, principles, objectives, overall arrangements, main tasks and main measures.

National Conference for Earthquake Preparation and Disaster Alleviation From 12 to 14 May, 2000, the State Council convened the National Conference for Earthquake Preparation and Disaster Alleviation, which was the first meeting since 1949. Vice Premier Wen Jiabao made an important speech in which he identified the guiding principles and priorities for earthquake preparation and disaster alleviation for the short and long periods. He required the governments of all levels and relevant government departments to take effective measures to establish three major working systems, such as earthquake monitoring and warning system, disaster alleviation and prevention and emergency response and aid.

In 2000, an unusual serve drought has attacked the majority of the north part of China. The drought beginning from this spring has continued for 5 months, and the land affected is nearly 310 million.

According to the analysis from the specialists, the two main reasons for the drought in this spring and summer are the high temperature and little rainfall. Too much radiation and insufficient rainfall have decreased the water supply especially the arable land, which has made the land without capacity to sustain water change to dry land. On this process, the specialists consider the drought in this year is much more serious than that of the past years. The most important one of the reasons is Lanina.

As phenomena in east pacific area near equator, the most recent Lanina continue from autumn in 1998 to this spring, which is the most terrible one in 1990’s. In the autumn of 1999, Lanina strengthens again and reaches to the top in the winter. Influenced by this case, in spring, 2000, expanding radial circulation, prevailing air current to the north, frequent cold atmosphere movement and much more strong wind has emerged in east Asia. For this cause, an unusual weather with strong wind and sands has appeared in March and April in the most area of the north China. The large scope current activity increases the evaporation of surface water. At the same time, affected by the weak warm current in the south, cold atmosphere reached to China move to the south quickly, left the high temperature to the north.

Besides the worldwide Lanina, some specialists believe that there are direct relationship between the drought and the sunspot. Since 1749, the change of the sunspot has come through 23 cycles. 1996 is the beginning of the 23th cycle, while 2000 is “big M”, when there is strong solar activity. Therefore, the activity interfere the atmosphere activity on earth.

But, whether a drought brings to disaster depends on human. Israel is a small country in the west Asia, with more than a half area being semi-desert and semi-sands, the annual rainfall less than 200 millimeter. While, its self-support rate of the farm product has reached to 95%, and the trade of farm product kept for 1200 million dollars annually. For our Chinese people, it is important to erect the consciousness to save water. Various methods should be used to utilize, protect, and save water.

Geological disaster is defined as geological accidents caused by natural or man-made factors, leading to the change of geological environment and dangerous to people’s life and wealth security. The geological disaster includes coast, mud-rock flow, landslide, ground subside and sink, ground crack, land desertification, land contamination, etc. The internal and external of the earth is active all the time, which lead to various geological disasters such as earthquake, ground sea, coast, mud-rock flow, ground sink, soil and water erosion etc.

China is a large country. Its geological and geographical condition is very complicated. So, in china, there are various kinds of geological disasters, and it can be happened anywhere. In 1999, the topic of the day of the Earth (22, April) is “geological disaster prevention”. Such a topic has suggested us the challenge facing raised by geological environment. We must have the consciousness of disaster prevention, to protect our beautiful hometown and try to decrease the loss.