In the first nine months of 2005, China has seen the worst side
of floods, typhoons, droughts, hailstorms and snowstorms,
landslides and earthquakes. Realizing that something has to be done
to boost the nation's ability to cope with potentially catastrophic
natural phenomena, the government established a natural disaster
emergency response system.
Jia Zhibang, vice minister of the Civil Affairs, said on
Thursday that China is one of the countries most vulnerable to
natural disasters. Since the 1990's, economic losses incurred from
natural disasters have risen sharply, affecting economic
development.
This year alone, 1,630 lives were lost to natural disasters and
13 million people evacuated. Economic losses have reached 163
billion yuan so far.
He Pinwei, a disaster-relief expert in Shanghai, said the
international experiences have proven that adequate contingency
plans cam help to mitigate the losses.
A senior official with the State Disaster Relief Commission
(SDRC) on Thursday said China has established a preliminary
national natural disaster emergency response system. The central
government has so far mapped out an overall emergency response
system, 20 special plans and 85 departmental plans.
By the end of 2004, provincial-level emergency response plans
had been hammered out by 31 provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities. 310 out of 333 municipal governments and 2,347 out
of 2,861 county-level governments have followed suit.
To establish the natural disaster emergency response system, or
disaster information network, disaster relief reserves and
equipment have all been improved. An information highway for
disaster scenario simulation is now available at the county level,
ensuring the timely delivery of disaster scenario information from
bottom to top.
A funds allocation and relief supply system that can be
activated within two to three working days following a disaster is
now in place.
Also in place is a state supply reserve relief system that
includes 10 reserve centers directly under central government
control and 31 reserve centers at the provincial level and in
disaster-prone counties. Under this system, the first batch of
disaster relief supplies can be made available to the disaster-hit
regions within 24 hours, Jia said.
An integrated synergy response mechanism to major natural
disasters has been designed to ensure a quick and synergetic
response.
A mass mobilization mechanism has also been established, and
more power has been given to charities and non-profit organizations
to effect rescue and relief.
From 1996 to 2004, donations from the public, both in cash and
kind, added up to 24.5 billion yuan. In 1996, the Ministry of Civil
Affairs facilitated the establishment of a sister-ship mechanism of
disaster relief programs between China's rich eastern coast and
under-developed west, involving 18 provinces, autonomous regions
and municipalities.
"Although the Chinese government is doing its best to reduce the
death toll in natural disaster through this emergency response
system, room for improvement still exists," said Jia, adding that
citizen's awareness of disaster relief is weak, and some grassroots
governments typically fail to implement contingency plans
effectively.
(Xinhua News Agency September 23, 2005)