Chinese authorities are drawing up a national natural-disaster "risk map" in an effort to avoid potential catastrophes in the building of urban construction projects in western China.

"We've started many natural disaster risk evaluation projects since August," said Zou Ming, director of the disaster relief department of the Civil Affairs Ministry.

Zhou said the "risk map" would help city planners build cities and towns that avoid danger-prone locations, such as areas prone to earthquakes, floods and mudslides.

China's vast western regions have experienced three major natural disasters in the last three years:

An 8.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Wenchuan, Sichuan Province, in May 2008. A 7.1-magnitude earthquake jolted Yushu, Qinghai Province, last April. And devastating mudslides claimed nearly 2,000 lives in Zhouqu, Guansu Province, last month.

Such repeated disasters have caused city planners to look for a "risk map" to help them be smarter about designing future cities.

Earlier this month, Sichuan Province issued a circular requesting all cities and counties to submit evaluation reports before October 30.

The province is reviewing post-quake rebuilding projects to ensure new homes and public facilities are safe.

"We'll re-study all reconstruction projects to double-check their safety," the document noted, "so as to make sure they are located away from earthquake rupture belts and areas prone to floods and geological disasters."

China's western regions have been developed quickly in the past 10 years. Along with fast-paced economic growth, more people have moved into towns and cities, accelerating the increase in urban populations, said Shi Peijun, deputy director of National Committee of Disaster Relief.

But without a "risk map," many people did not know if they were living in areas prone to natural disasters, said Shi.

Take Zhouqu County, for example, Shi said. It is located in a valley where landslides often happen. It is not suitable to build a county with a population of 47,000 people there.

"Now, avoiding possible dangers and utilizing land rationally is at the top of government agendas," Shi said. "That's what we gained from the disasters," he added.