History of Disaster Relief, China and East Asia

The countries of the China and East Asia region lie in a geological area prone to natural disasters, most notably earthquakes and tsunamis, landslides, periodic floods and droughts, typhoons and tropical cyclones, land subsidence, and volcanic activity. China is one of the world's leading nations in terms of total deaths attributed to natural disasters.

Recent industrialization, urbanization, deforestation, and cultivation have also contributed to disasters in this region. The most devastating disasters in terms of both death tolls and economic losses have included earthquakes, typhoons, and floods.

Since early dynastic times, the Chinese believed that their leaders reigned due to a divine approval known as the Mandate of Heaven. Disasters and other negative events that occurred during a particular dynasty or leader's reign were interpreted as signs ...