Asia and Oceania

• Travel Summary
• Safety and security
• Local laws and customs
• Entry requirements

• Health
• Natural disasters
• General
 

Natural disasters

Earthquakes

China is located in an active seismic zone and is periodically subject to earthquakes. On 12 May 2008 an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck south western China, 92 kms northwest of Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan Province. It caused significant damage to the infrastructure, with just under 70,000 fatalities and left around 5 million people homeless. The most recent aftershock, measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale, was recorded in the Wenchuan area on 15 January 2009.

Normality has returned to the bulk of Sichuan Province and travel is safe. The only exceptions relate to entering Beichuan and Wenchuan districts where reconstruction work is ongoing. Some roads remain difficult to travel along in areas devastated by the earthquake. Wolong Panda Reserve has re-opened, but with limited facilities. You should follow the advice of local authorities and monitor local and international media for updates.

Other earthquakes to affect China recently have occurred near Guantun Township, Yao'an County, Yunnan Province (south western China) in July 2009 (6.0 on the Richter scale); near Da Qaidam, Qinghai Province in November 2008 (6.3 on the Richter scale); in Hotan, Xinjiang Province in March 2008; and in Yunnan Province in south-west China in June 2007, both of the latter measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale. Earthquakes of similar magnitude have also occurred in the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region, the Xinjiang Autonomous Region, and Yunnan Province in 2003.

Flooding

Parts of central, southern and western China, particularly those bordering the Yangtze River, are susceptible to flooding.  On 6 July 2009 the state media news agency (Xinhua) reported torrential rains in southern and central China forcing more than 300,000 to flee their homes and 16 fatalities caused by floods, landslides and building collapses, affecting Hunan and Fujian Provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. As a result you should check your route and monitor local weather reports before travelling to these Provinces.

Typhoons

The tropical cyclone season in China normally runs from May to November, affecting the south eastern coastal regions of China.

On 10 August 2009 the state media agency Xinhua reported that Typhoon Morakot was down graded to a tropical storm after causing heavy flooding in Fujian and Zhejiang Provinces (eastern China). Reports indicate that more than 473,000 residents of Zhejiang province were evacuated ahead of the typhoon, in addition to 480,000 in Fujian Province. Wenzhou City in Zhejiang Province has been severely affected with reports of property damaged, roads flooded and the city’s airport closed. We have had no reports to date of British nationals injured in any of the affected Provinces

Prior to Typhoon Morakot the last typhoon to affect China was Typhoon Hagupit in September 2008.  During Typhoon Neoguri in April 2008, over 100,000 people were evacuated from their homes on Hainan Island. Tropical Cyclone Wipha in September 2007 also destroyed homes and killed five.  For more detailed information see Tropical Cyclones or contact the Japan Meteorological Agency.