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Jun Mai

For many Chinese people, the massive floods this year have brought back to mind the devastating disaster in 1998 in which swelling waters claimed thousands of lives and affected millions across the country.
The 1998 floods that went on for two whole months from June wreaked havoc on 24 Chinese provinces. A total of 3,004 people died and 220 million were affected with countless homes destroyed.
Week-long floods in central China paralyse city of Wuhan’s transport network
But experts in Chinese media reports have pointed out the differences between this year’s floods and the 1998 disaster.

Heavier rainfall this time, but more evenly spread
This year’s flood season has seen much heavier rainfall than in 1998. But the rain has been less concentrated and more evenly spread out over regions, thereby resulting in floods of a smaller scale.

Floods now are mainly in disparate areas along the Yangtze River.
Eighteen years ago, the floods were much worse and more widespread, affecting the Min River in Fujian province, Pearl River in Guangdong, Yangtze River and later the Nen and Songhua rivers in the northeastern provinces.

Better protection against flooding
China has exponentially increased its investment in water infrastructure over the past two decades.
The central government alone invested 17 billion yuan (HK$20 billion) on such infrastructure from 1998 to 2002. The amount is four times that of all such investment made from 1949 (the founding of the People’s Republic of China) to 1998.

More than 70 per cent of the water infrastructure investment went towards implementing flood-control measures.

Higher risks of urban flooding
China’s urban residents now account for some 56 per cent of its entire population, up from just 30 per cent in 1998.
More than 110 dead or missing in floods in China’s Yangtze River basin
But while the number of urban residents has been rapidly rising, water management infrastructure and planning in cities have been slow to catch up, experts say.
Mass construction in cities have also affected the natural water system, thus further contributing to the risk of flooding in those highly built-up areas, according to the experts.


Lunchtime fire at restaurant leaves 22 dead, 3 injured in northeast China

Narrow escape as falling crane in China almost crushes man

‘Never forget this brave sister’: Xinjiang dad tells daughter about officer who saved her

Car crashes into crowd outside primary school in Chinese city of Jinhua, residents say

Accidents, extreme weather and disasters in China

Why China’s massive floods this year are different from 1998’s catastrophic disaster that killed 3,000

Residents try to get through flood waters on a scooter in Jiujiang, Jiangxi province. Photo: AP

A bus goes through a flooded area in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China, June 19, 2016. China Daily/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. CHINA OUT. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

A worker tries to make his way through a flooded area in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China, June 19, 2016. China Daily/via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. EDITORIAL USE ONLY. CHINA OUT.

Water is discharged from the Three Gorges Dam to lower the level in its reservoir in Yichang, Hubei province in this July 20, 2010 file photo. A surge in mega-hydropower projects across the world in the coming decade will only be affected marginally by a decision announced on December 8, 2011, to delay building a large dam across the Mekong, Southeast Asia's longest river. The Three Gorges Dam, the world's largest hydropower plant at 22.5 gigawatts when it reaches full capacity, is a symbol of China's quest for energy and is also a taste of what is to come. A total of 1.25 million people were displaced over 16 years for the Three Gorges dam, leading to widespread criticism and protests. Many blamed the project for widespread drought earlier this year in downstream areas of the Yangtze River. To match Analysis ENVIRONMENT-DAMS/ REUTERS/Stringer/Files (CHINA - Tags: ENERGY ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS POLITICS) CHINA OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN CHINA

(160621) -- CHANGSHA, June 21, 2016 (Xinhua) -- A man poles a boat in flood-encircled Liye Town of Longshan County, cenral China's Hunan Province, June 20, 2016. Flood caused by heavy rain forced over 3,000 local residents to relocate here on Sunday. (Xinhua/Zhang Jin) (cxy)

(160623) -- POYANG, June 23, 2016 (Xinhua) -- An aerial photo taken on June 23, 2016 shows waterlog in Zhangjialing Village of Guxiandu Township in Poyang County, east China's Jiangxi Province. After days of heavy rain across the region, a river in Guxiandu Township breached its banks Monday evening. About 13,000 people have been relocated to safer places and more than 10,000 mu (667 hectares) of farmland was inundated. Around 500 police were mending a 64-meter gap in the river defense. (Xinhua/Zhou Mi) (lfj)

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