At least 25 million people in China were affected by natural disasters in the first half of this year, with direct economic losses totaling $7.5 billion, China’s Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) reported at a press conference on July 15.

According to MEM spokesperson Shen Zhanli, the primary types of natural calamities during this period were earthquakes, flooding, and geological disasters, resulting in 307 deaths or missing persons, the evacuation of 620,000 individuals, the collapse of 29,600 homes, damage to an additional 347,200 homes, and damage to 5.4 million acres of farmland.

The agency also reported that various other natural hazards, including hailstorms, droughts, typhoons, unseasonable cold snaps, snowstorms, and forest fires, occurred across the country during the first half of the year.

Due to the Chinese authorities’ past record of underreporting and covering up information, it is difficult to assess the true scale and impact of natural disasters.

Floods, Earthquakes

The Sichuan Basin was a major flood zone this year. Between June 29 and June 30, heavy rainfall hit more than 38,610 square miles of the region, with rainfall totals exceeding 14 billion cubic meters in a single day, state media reported. Chengdu, the provincial capital, experienced severe flooding due to torrential rain and upstream reservoir discharges.

Also in June, extreme rainfall triggered severe flooding in Rongjiang, Guizhou Province, resulting in landslides, submerged farmland, and flooded homes.

Locals previously told the Chinese-language edition of The Epoch Times that floodwaters reached as high as the third floor in some buildings.

State media reported on June 26 that at least six people had died and that widespread infrastructure damage had left some towns isolated. Roads were blocked and communication lines were disrupted, making rescue work extremely difficult.

On May 22, a series of rain-induced landslides struck Bijie city in Guizhou Province, leaving four people dead and 17 missing, state media reported.

On the same day, separate landslides struck Dafang county, also under Bijie’s jurisdiction, burying homes and residents. In total, 19 individuals were reported trapped or missing. Official meteorological data showed that localized rainfall exceeded 200 millimeters in 24 hours, dislodging an estimated 2 million cubic meters of earth and rock, which complicated rescue efforts.

On Jan. 7, China reported that a 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck Tibet, causing significant casualties and property damage. The impact was intensified by poor construction standards in rural areas, where homes are often made of unreinforced brick.

Drought

Since early February, northern China has experienced unusually low precipitation levels. Ten provinces have reported varying degrees of drought, with Shaanxi Province experiencing its worst dry spell since records began in 1961, according to state media.

Shaanxi is one of China’s main wheat-growing areas, and more than 1 million acres of wheat have been affected by drought, state media reported. Authorities have expressed concern about potential yield reductions in Shaanxi and other wheat-growing provinces, which could affect local and national food security.