BEIJING: The most valuable part of the First National Census on the Risk of Natural Disasters is its comprehensive nature, which is aimed at responding to many types of disaster by using data collated from various industries, said a senior official who led the implementation of the survey.
“Investigation and assessment based on just a single disaster or industry would make it impossible for us to fully assess disaster risks nationwide,” said Yuan Yi, deputy executive leader of the census task force at the State Council, China’s Cabinet.
For example, if the meteorological authorities are aiming to issue warnings and anticipate the cost of heavy rain, water volume shouldn’t be the only factor under consideration. Instead, other things should also be taken into account, such as population distribution, housing and the strength of levees, said Yuan, quoted by Beijing News.
Furthermore, the damage caused by disasters is not just related to natural factors, but also to social factors, she said. Yuan added that the census and assessments have highlighted a combination of natural risk factors and social factors, such as population, housing density, schools, hospitals and transportation. As such, the census task force has rigorously attempted to ensure the accuracy of the statistics garnered from various sectors. “During the investigative process, we first ordered grassroots staff members to check the data they had collected. –The Daily Mail-China Daily news exchange item
