Water-Related Disasters and Disaster Risk Management in the People's Republic of China

Disaster risk now presents one of the most serious threats to inclusive and sustainable socioeconomic development. In the People's Republic of China (PRC), the incidence of natural disasters---particularly water-related disasters---are on the rise, resulting in an increased exposure to and vulnerability of the population to disasters. Coupled with anticipated increases in the frequency and intensity of weather-related events due to climate change, the PRC's population is at heightened risk. This review focuses on water-related disasters, including identification of underlying causes, current management and policies to reduce risk, and opportunities for strengthening integrated disaster risk management in the PRC.