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(7) Natural Disasters an Increasing Factor to Hinder Economic Growth
[CND, 05/08/98] China's annual economic toll from natural disasters has
become an increasing factor that will hinder economic growth, reported AFP.
Last year, disasters killed 3,200 people and destroyed 2.9 million homes,
and half of the country's population was affected in some way. Direct
economic losses amounted to 197.5 billion yuan, which was 2.6 percent of the
national GDP. The average annual toll is from three to six percent of the
annual GDP in the past fifty years, which is much higher than the percentage
in developed countries. The large population that is concentrated mostly in
the eastern coastal areas, the complex geographic conditions, and the
complex climatological conditions are the major factors that make China
vulnerable to natural disasters. It is predicted that the annual toll will
be 250 billion yuan by the year 2000, compared to 102.1 billion yuan in
early 1990s. Experts expected the government to take serious measures to
prevent damage, especially in urban areas. (Yungui DING; YIN De An)