2013 Disasters in China Cost about $70B

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
HUMAN-ENHANCED NATURAL DISASTERS
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Natural disasters cost China about $70 billion in 2013

Droughts and deluge, earthquakes and typhoons cost China about $70 billion in 2013, nearly twice the total in 2012.

The National Statistics Bureau reported flooding and mudslides cost China about $32billion in 2013, an increase of nearly 11 percent on  previous year, said Reuters.

Damage from droughts nearly quadrupled to about $15billion, while storm surges, snowfall and freezes cost an additional $7 billion.

Seismic disasters, primarily the deadly Sichuan Earthquake, added more than $16 billion to the total.

[For a comprehensive listing of disasters in China search blog content.]

China is the world’s biggest energy-related CO2 emitter (23.6% in 2009), and 2nd biggest cumulative energy-related CO2 emitter during the 158-year period between 1850 and 2008, accounting for about 9.37 % of the total.

Top Ten cumulative energy-related CO2 emitters (1850 – 2008)
1. The United States (28.56 %)
2. China (9.37%)
3. Russia (7.98%)
4. Germany (6.77%)
5. United Kingdom (5.78%)
6. Japan (3.94%)
7. France (2.75%)
8. India (2.53%)
9. Canada (2.18%)
10. Ukraine (2.14%)

Seawater intrusion affecting 2 million people in Shanghai

Meanwhile, CNTV reported:

Seawater is causing problems for two million people in Shanghai. The city is enduring its longest-lasting salt tide in more than 20 years. As of this morning, the salt tide intrusion has already lasted for 21 days, the longest since 1993. Shanghai is located at the mouth of the Yangtze River.

The intrusion occurs periodically, especially in winter and spring when the Yangtze water level is relatively low. High salt levels in water is harmful to people’s health, machinery, and crops. Shanghai’s water authorities say the reservoir built in 1993 can only hold a ten-day water supply. They’ve established a comprehensive plan to coordinate the city’s waterworks and appealed to the national government for support.

Chen Guoguang, senior engineer of Water Supply Distribution & Monitoring Center, said, “Together with the previous two salt tides, the intrusion this time is causing huge harm to our water safety. The whole process isn’t expected to end until early next month.”

Australia Approves Great Barrier Reef Dredge Dumping

CRIMES AGAINST NATURE
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Australian company to dump 3 million tons of sand and mud in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park

Australian authorities approved a project on Friday to dump dredged sediment in the Great Barrier Reef marine park to create world’s biggest coal [dirty] port.

The decision which was made by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) follows the government approval last year for the coal terminal at Abbot Point port to be expanded.

The primary role of GBRMPA, believe it or not, is to protect the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef Marine Park!

Some 233 scientists and conservationists had earlier signed a letter urging GBRMPA to reject the dumping plan.

“The permit allows North Queensland Bulk Ports Corp to dump [3 million tons of] dredged material in the reef marine park to deepen Abbot Point for two terminals planned by Adani Enterprises and GVK-Hancock, which have long term plans to export 120 million tonnes a year of coal all together,” reported Reuters.

Abbot Point is Australia’s most northerly deepwater coal port located south of Townsville about 25km north of Bowen on the Queensland coast.

The approved disposal site is located approximately 25 km  ENE of Abbot Point port, said GBRMPA.

The port hosts some 200 vessels with maximum cargo tonnage of about 16 million tons
each year, as of 2012.

The Great Barrier Reef – World Heritage Area

The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest coral reef structure composed of nearly 3,000 individual reefs extending over 2,600 km (1,680 miles). The GBR spreads over an area of about 345,000 km (133,000 sq mi) in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia.

The Great Barrier Reef received world heritage status in 1981, the first coral reef ecosystem in the world to achieve the distinction.

Global Disaster Forecast – UPDATE 19 Mar

THE NEXT MAJOR DISASTER COULD STRIKE THE U.S.

The next major anthropogenic or human-enhanced natural disaster [e.g., climate related] could occur in the United States with a probability of 0.75

The world’s next catastrophic tectonics event could occur in

1. Western United States, Iceland, or Taiwan [Probability of 0.74]
2. New Zealand Region, Indonesia, FIJI Islands, or Chile [Probability of 0.73]
3. Japan Region [Probability of 0.72]

FIRE-EARTH disaster forecasts cover 2 levels:

• Specific Events
• Global Impact

An explanation of the relationship between the disasters that were forecast for 2010 and 2011-2012 and beyond and their Global Impact has been previously posted on the blog. See below for links:

2010 Disasters: Planetary collapse driven by man-made cataclysms
Fire-Earth Moderators believe at least one disaster could strike somewhere on the planet each day, throughout 2010. The outlook for 2011 and beyond …Go to links page for 2010 Disaster Calendar

2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
Humans continued to devour energy at a rate of 17.3terrawatt in 2011, when maximum ‘safe’ limit was less than 1.9terrawatt … Go to links page for 2011 Disaster Calendar

Related Links:

• EQJP [Includes summary of Japan’s recent earthquakes and forecasts]

• Global Disaster Forecast – UPDATE 17 Mar

• Global Tectonics Warning – March 12
• Tectonics Update – March 10

• US Volcanoes: Blasts from the Past?
• FEWW Volcano Links
• Volcanoes
• FEWW Earthquake Links

• Earth: Wounded and Feverish
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities

Links to Disaster Calendars:

• 2010 Disaster Calendar
• 2011 Disaster Calendar