Interannual Variation and Hazard Analysis of Meteorological Disasters in East China

Based on the historical data of meteorological disasters in East China during 2004–2015, the overall characteristics, interannual variations and the hazards of meteorological disasters in different provinces of East China were analyzed. The results indicated that flood disaster (including landslide and mud-rock flow) induced by rainstorms had caused the largest affected area and total failure area of crops, and also caused the largest number of affected people and collapsed houses. Strong convection weather (including gale, hail, thunder and lightning) disaster resulted in the largest number of deaths and typhoon disaster caused the greatest direct economic losses. There were significant decreasing trends in the affected area and the total failure area of crops, and the number of affected people and deaths during 2004–2015, while the direct economic loss caused by meteorological disasters showed no significant trend in East China. The hazards of meteorological disasters had obvious regional differences. In the northern part of East China, the hazards of drought and strong convection weather disasters were higher, but in the southern part, there were higher hazards of flood disaster. In the eastern coastal areas of East China, the hazards of typhoon disaster were higher. Hazard analysis of meteorological disasters has important significances for disaster prevention and mitigation, risk management and crisis response.