Weather Gone Wild
We're only halfway through 2008, and have had no shortage of riveting stories from China. But it's not the Olympic festivities that have taken the media spotlight- they're still two months away. So far this year, China's extreme environment has captured the world's attention.
From the Yunnan snowstorms to Beijing smog to the Sichuan earthquake, let's take a brief look at some of the most noteworthy.
Snowstorms: China's worst snowstorm since 1954 dealt the nation a powerful blow. 17 of China's 31 provinces experienced power outages, affecting about 30 million. 1.6 million people had to be relocated, after 149,000 houses were destroyed and 602,000 damaged. Nearly two million police and military workers joined the relief work, which now almost seems like a warm-up for later disaster relief efforts.
Fires: While the Tibetan scuffles this March can't be considered a natural disaster, or even weather-related, the homes of many Lhasa residents were set ablaze this March. In light of these fires, the Olympic torch relay ignited more forceful clashes between pro-China and pro-Tibet enthusiasts.
The Tibetan turmoils and torch relay received drastically different media coverage inside and outside of mainland China, providing a unique picture of the way many outsiders view China, and China views itself. These differences have yet to be resolved, but when the earthquake hit China, many of these differences faded into the background.
Earthquake: Eighty eight days before the Olympics, a day which should have been uneventful at worst, China was dealt a devastating blow. The Sichuan earthquake, which measured a powerful 8.0 on the Richter scale, took the lives of at least 70,000, and left millions homeless.
Although the quake has provided ample material for an epic tragedy, it also revealed truly inspiring stories of philanthropy and hope. Millions worldwide have offered their condolences and support, and hundreds of thousands within China have been volunteering and part of the relief effort. Progress has been made, but the road to recovery looks pretty long and arduous.
Flooding: As if the earthquake and subsequent aftershocks weren't enough, torrential rains have caused substantial flooding in 20 provinces, including Guangdong and Sichuan. According to the government, this is China's worst flooding in 100 years, and 1.5 million have been evacuated. Over 2,170 areas in Sichuan Province have been classified "very dangerous" because of their high propensity for mudslides, and an additional 21,000 are also at risk. Not even all of the earthquake shelters are safe, and many will have to be moved to avoid further risks.
As you can see from CCTV's footage of China's flooding, the full extent of the damage remains unknown, and the expected thunderstorms aren't a positive development for the region.
Smog: Complaints of "smog" might seem a little trivial compared to the more dramatic landslides and eathquakes, but air pollution could potentially be even more costly. Last November, the World Bank estimated that air and water pollution cost China about $100 billion USD in terms of health and other costs.
Though the Australian track and field team will be skipping the Olympic Opening Ceremonies due to health-related concerns, the Beijing air during the Olympics will probably be better than ever. Certain factories nearby have been required to shut down because of smog-related concerns, and traffic will be heavily monitored during the Games, to cut down on air pollution.
Time will tell what other weather or environmental twists and turns China encounters as the August 8 Opening Ceremonies date becomes closer every day. While those events will be a fast, exciting spring, the more important race for China will be the longer, more exhausting marathon of recovering from this year's unprecedented natural disasters.