On March 12, according to the website of the Ministry of Emergency Management, recently the Office of the National Disaster Prevention, Reduction and Relief Committee, together with relevant member units, conducted consultation and verification of the national natural disaster situation in February 2024. In February, China's natural disaster situation was complex and severe. Low-temperature rain, snow and freezing disasters affected a wide area and caused heavy losses, while droughts, wind and hail, sandstorms, earthquakes, geological disasters and forest fires also occurred to varying degrees. Various natural disasters affected 6.52 million person-times to varying degrees, caused 19 deaths, necessitated emergency relocation and resettlement of 77,000 person-times, and left 420,000 person-times in need of emergency living assistance; 1,700 houses collapsed and 14,000 houses were damaged; 639,000 hectares of crops were affected; and direct economic losses reached 17.69 billion yuan. The following are the main characteristics of natural disasters nationwide in February:

　　Low-temperature rain, snow and freezing disasters in the central and eastern regions lasted long, affected a wide area and caused heavy losses

　　In February, three cold air processes affected China. The central and eastern regions suffered two rounds of large-scale, sustained low-temperature rain, snow and freezing weather. Both rounds were characterized by long duration, wide impact, high rain and snow intensity, complex precipitation phases and many provinces affected by freezing rain. In early February, the low-temperature rain, snow and freezing weather process affected 4.027 million people to varying degrees in 10 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), including Hubei, Hunan, Anhui and Guizhou, caused 7 deaths, damaged 10,000 houses, affected 423,400 hectares of crops and caused direct economic losses of 12.61 billion yuan. At the same time, it overlapped with the Spring Festival travel rush, seriously affecting highway traffic maintenance, power supply, public travel and production and daily life, making it the most severe low-temperature rain, snow and freezing disaster during the Spring Festival travel rush since 2009. From February 17 to 22, the second round of low-temperature rain, snow and freezing weather produced a wider range of freezing rain, but its intensity and impact were less than the previous round. In addition, on February 6, an avalanche disaster occurred in Nyingchi, Tibet, causing 5 deaths. Overall, the losses from low-temperature freezing and snow disasters in February were the heaviest for the same period in the past 10 years.

　　Sandstorm disasters in the northwest occurred early and with high intensity, while ice-flood conditions on the Yellow River remained stable

　　From February 17 to 20, the first sand and dust weather process of the year affected some provinces in northwest China, reaching the level of a strong sandstorm, the earliest strong sandstorm since 2010. Under the combined effects of strong winds, sandstorms and snowfall, some areas of Gansu, Xinjiang and other places suffered wind and hail, sandstorm and other disasters, affecting 77,000 people to varying degrees, affecting 2,100 hectares of crops and causing direct economic losses of more than 41 million yuan. Regarding ice floods, the frozen section of the lower Yellow River fully opened on February 6, 8 days earlier than usual. A total of 171.4 kilometers of the main stream of the Yellow River opened, with a remaining frozen length of 661 kilometers. Ice-flood conditions are currently stable and have not caused major dangers or disasters.

　　Two earthquakes of magnitude 5 or above occurred in Xinjiang, causing no major losses

　　In February, 16 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above occurred in mainland China (including 2 of magnitude 5.0 or above), mainly concentrated in Xinjiang, Guangxi and Qinghai. On February 24 and 25, earthquakes of magnitude 5.3 and 5.8 occurred successively in Akqi County, Xinjiang, as aftershocks of the January 23 magnitude 7.1 earthquake in Wushi, Xinjiang. The epicenters were located in high-altitude, sparsely populated areas and caused no casualties or major disaster losses. In addition, on February 15, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred in Tian'e County, Guangxi, affecting 2,400 people to varying degrees and damaging a small number of old houses.

　　Drought conditions nationwide were generally mild, while drought persisted in some areas of the southwest

　　In February, the national average precipitation was 23 millimeters, 20 percent more than the same period in normal years. Runoff in major rivers was generally higher than in the same period in normal years, and soil moisture was suitable in most areas, conducive to crop growth and development. Drought began to emerge in Guizhou and Sichuan, while drought continued to develop in Yunnan, affecting local agricultural production and drinking water for people and livestock to some extent, affecting 267,000 people to varying degrees, leaving 59,000 people in need of living assistance due to drought and affecting 9,400 hectares of crops.

　　Forest fires occurred sporadically in many places nationwide, with a short-term concentrated outbreak in Guizhou

　　In February, some areas of the southwest continued to experience drought and little rain, with temperatures higher than the same period in normal years. Regional meteorological drought was obvious, reaching moderate to severe levels in some places. Vegetation in forests was dry and flammable, and this, combined with frequent traditional Spring Festival sacrifices and post-holiday agricultural burning, caused a short-term surge in forest fires. According to preliminary statistics, 29 forest fires occurred nationwide in February, including 12 in Guizhou, 4 in Sichuan, 3 in Guangxi, and 2 each in Hunan, Fujian and Hainan. No grassland fires occurred.