ABSTRACT
In the past 1,000 years, about 15 million people have died as a result of at least 100,000 natural disasters (Munich Re, 1999). About 80 per cent of the deadliest disasters in history occurred as a result of just four hazard types – earthquake, tropical cyclone, flood and drought (Table 2.1). China appears frequently in the list of affected nations because of the long written record available for this country, the large population at risk and the hazardous nature of the physical environment. Famine is excluded from Table 2.1 although it is often linked with drought. Both drought and famine can last for several years and, as recently as 1959-62, 29 million people died from famine in China.
