Current situation of early warning and emergency countermeasures of volcanic eruptions in China

Volcanic eruptions, as major natural disasters, often cause considerable numbers of casualties and economic losses. Given the substantial potential hazards posed to society, volcanic eruptions have become a central concern for national public safety systems. This paper introduces the risk degrees and classification of activity of major active volcanoes in China, reviews early warning policies in the government response to volcanic eruptions, compares the early warning levels of China and the USA, and proposes an early warning theme adapted to the characteristics of volcanic activity in mainland China. The current volcanic warning system of China still has considerable room for improvement; therefore, improvements in monitoring volcanic activities and the antihazard capacity of volcanic eruption in the future are urgently needed.