Socioeconomic impacts on damage risk from typhoons in mega-urban regions in China: A case study using Typhoons Mangkhut and Lekima

Due to climate change, typhoons are becoming more frequent and destructive and thus increasingly threaten property and life. Many studies have discussed the relationships between disaster losses and socioeconomic development but have paid little attention to those relationships within mega-urban regions. This study aims to explore how socioeconomic factors affect disaster losses in mega-urban regions in China. Specifically, using data about Typhoons Mangkhut and Lekima, we established the association of socioeconomic factors with the affected population and economic losses caused by typhoons. Subsequently, we examined the significant differences of socioeconomic impacts among the cities proper and metro-rings within mega-urban regions and in non-mega-urban regions. Our results showed that higher per capita income, higher population density, higher percentage of females, and higher education level, are associated with fewer disaster losses. When the different areas were compared, we found that metro-rings suffered the largest population and economic losses. Also, the metro-rings' high immigration rates, low education levels, and uncoordinated planning and management abilities, all contributed to its high disaster risk. Our results both provide insight into regional variations within mega-urban regions affected by typhoons and identify the distinctiveness exhibited by metro-rings, where high exposure and vulnerability make them the areas with the highest disaster risk. These results can help mega-urban regions in China institute viable measures for their most vulnerable areas to prevent disasters triggered by typhoons.