CCTV News: Recently, the Office of the National Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief Committee, together with relevant member units, conducted a consultation and analysis on the national natural disaster situation in the first quarter of 2025. In the first quarter, natural disasters in my country were mainly earthquake disasters and geological disasters, and wind and hail disasters, forest fires, low-temperature freezing and snow disasters, drought disasters, flood disasters, etc. also occurred to varying degrees. Various natural disasters caused a total of 1.204 million people to be affected to varying degrees, 160 people died and disappeared (including 155 people died and disappeared due to the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri, Tibet and the Yunlian landslide disaster in Sichuan), 149,000 people were urgently relocated and resettled; 27,100 houses collapsed and 248,900 houses were damaged; 114,100 hectares of crops were affected; and direct economic losses were 10.16 billion yuan.

The main characteristics of national natural disasters in the first quarter are:

1. The level of earthquake activity has been enhanced, and the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Tingri, Tibet caused major losses. In the first quarter, my country's earthquake activity has been enhanced compared with the average level of the same period in previous years, including 4 earthquakes above magnitude 5.0. The earthquake disaster caused a total of 241,000 people to be affected to varying degrees, 126 people died, 143,000 people were urgently relocated and resettled, 26,900 houses collapsed, 222,800 houses were damaged, and direct economic losses of 9.27 billion yuan were lost. Among them, the maximum magnitude was the 6.8-magnitude earthquake in Dingri County, Shigatse City, Tibet on January 7. The focal depth was 10 kilometers, the maximum intensity reached 9 degrees, and 14 aftershocks above magnitude 4.0 occurred. The fault activity in the area was strong, and the seismic resistance of the houses was weak. In addition, the earthquake occurred early and the temperature in winter was low, causing major casualties and property losses. As of the end of the first quarter, the earthquake had caused 200,000 people to varying degrees in seven counties including Dingri, Lazi, Sakya, and Dingjie in Shigatse City to be affected by different degrees, 126 people died, 139,000 people were urgently relocated and resettled, 26,900 houses collapsed, 215,000 houses were damaged, and direct economic losses of 8.945 billion yuan were directly lost. On March 28, a strong earthquake occurred in Myanmar, with the epicenter being about 294 kilometers away from my country's border. As of the end of the first quarter, the earthquake caused 21,000 people to be affected to varying degrees in two cities (prefectures) in Dehong and Baoshan, Yunnan. Two people were slightly injured. More than 1,000 people were urgently evacuated and resettled, more than 2,400 houses were damaged, and direct economic losses of more than 65 million yuan were lost.

2. Geological disaster losses were severe. Sichuan Yunlian landslide caused major casualties. In the first quarter, the geological disasters were severe compared with the same period in recent years. The types were mainly landslides, collapses, and ground collapses, causing 15,000 people to be affected to varying degrees, 31 people died and disappeared, more than 80 houses collapsed, nearly 600 houses damaged, and direct economic losses of nearly 83 million yuan. Geological disasters occur frequently in Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou and other places. The number of deaths and missing persons and direct economic losses caused by disasters in the three provinces account for 94% and 85% of the total number of geological disasters in the country respectively. Among them, on February 8, a landslide occurred in Jinping Village, Muai Town, Yunlian County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province, killing 29 people and injuring 2 people.

3. Wind and hail disasters in the southern region were scattered at many points, and heavy rainfall occurred in March. In the first quarter, affected by strong cold air and strong convective weather, wind and hail disasters were scattered at many points in southern my country, relatively concentrated in Fujian, Jiangxi, Hunan, Guizhou and other places. Strong winds and hail caused some houses and crops to be affected, and one person was hit by lightning and died. In the first quarter, the wind and hail disaster caused 351,000 people to be affected to varying degrees, one person died, more than 4,900 people were urgently evacuated and resettled, more than 100 houses collapsed, 25,300 houses were damaged, and 264,000 crops were affected, and the crops were affected by 264,000 hectares, and direct economic losses were 730 million yuan. From March 12 to 15, heavy rainfall occurred in Jiangnan, South China and other places. The cumulative rainfall in central and northern Jiangxi, southern Zhejiang, northern Fujian and other places exceeded 50 mm, and locally exceeded 100 mm. Affected by this, my country entered the flood season on March 15, which was 17 days earlier than the average flood season in the years.

4. The situation of forest and grassland fire prevention and extinguishing is severe, and fires occur frequently at multiple points.

In the first quarter, the situation of forest and grassland fire prevention and extinguishing in the country was severe and complicated. Forest fire hazards generally show the characteristics of "both north and south". In the southern region, due to high temperatures and less rainy weather, forest fire hazards continue to be severe; some areas in North China have no obvious precipitation in the last winter and this spring, the temperature fluctuates greatly, the combustible materials are dry and flammable, and there are many windy weather, and the fire risk is gradually rising. In particular, activities such as Qingming Festival sacrifices have increased the difficulty of controlling artificial fire sources. Multiple unfavorable factors are intertwined and superimposed, and fires are frequent. According to statistics, in the first quarter, 107 forest fires occurred in 23 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) including Henan, Shaanxi, Zhejiang, Hubei, and Guangdong, and 2 people died. No grassland fires occurred nationwide.

5. The overall national temperature was higher than the same period last year, and the low temperature freezing and snow disasters were generally lighter.

In the first quarter, the national average temperature was 0.2℃, which was 0.6℃ higher than the same period last year. There were 9 cold air processes that affected my country, with a fewer times than the same period last year. Among them, three national cold wave weather processes have caused crops in some areas of Yunnan, Sichuan and other places to suffer from low-temperature freezing disasters, and some agricultural facilities, enterprise factories, etc. in Henan, Shandong and other places have been damaged due to snow disasters. In the first quarter, low temperature freezing and snow disasters caused 384,000 people to be affected to varying degrees, with 352,000 hectares of crops affected by crops and direct economic losses of 440 million yuan.

6. The drought disaster was generally light, and the drought situation continued in some areas of the southwest. In the first quarter, the national average precipitation was 47.9 mm, 20.2% less than the same period last year. The runoff of major rivers in the country is nearly 20% lower than that of the same period last year, and the water storage capacity of 9,520 key reservoirs is nearly 10% higher than that of the same period last year. The current national drought is generally light, and the soil in the southwest is lacking in moisture. The drought in some areas of Guangxi and Yunnan continues. 73,000 people in the two provinces (regions) need living assistance due to drought (mainly distributed in hilly areas). With the recent increase in rainfall, water storage in ponds and river water can ensure the demand for spring sowing, and spring plowing and spring sowing are progressing smoothly. In the first quarter, the drought disaster caused a total of 209,000 people to be affected to varying degrees, 103,000 people needed living assistance due to drought, and the crops affected area was 522,000 hectares, and 18,000 livestock (only) were affected by drought, with direct economic losses of 190 million yuan.