The Ministry of Emergency Management released the national natural disaster situation for May 2021.

Recently, the Ministry of Emergency Management, together with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of Water Resources, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Health Commission, the National Bureau of Statistics, the China Meteorological Administration, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, the State Administration of Grain and Material Reserves, the State Forestry and Grassland Administration, the Red Cross Society of China, and China State Railway Group Co., Ltd., held a consultation on the nationwide natural disaster situation in May. In May, natural disasters in China were mainly wind, hail, earthquakes, and floods. Droughts, geological disasters, sandstorms, low temperatures, freezing and snowstorms, and forest and grassland fires also occurred to varying degrees. According to preliminary statistics, various natural disasters affected 16.314 million people in 30 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), resulting in 44 deaths and missing persons, and 138,000 people urgently relocated; more than 5,000 houses collapsed, and 240,000 houses were damaged to varying degrees; 14.173 million hectares of crops were affected, of which 932,000 hectares were completely lost; and the direct economic losses amounted to 14.87 billion yuan.

　　 I. Frequent Severe Convective Weather in the Jianghan and Jianghuai Regions, with Severe Local Impacts

　　Since the end of April, a total of 7 large-scale severe convective weather events have occurred nationwide. Severe convective weather has been significantly more frequent, with strong extremes and a wide range of impacts. From May 13 to 17, the eastern part of Southwest China, Jianghan, Jianghuai, and the central and northern parts of Jiangnan experienced the strongest large-scale severe convective weather process this year, causing large-scale short-term heavy rainfall, thunderstorms, and hail in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Hubei provinces. On May 14, Suzhou and Wuhan were successively hit by strong tornadoes with maximum wind speeds of 17, causing significant casualties. In late May, thunderstorms increased significantly in the north, and crops were affected in parts of Hebei, Shandong, Henan, and Shaanxi provinces. In May, wind and hail disasters affected 8.294 million people, resulting in 28 deaths, more than 1,200 houses collapsed, and direct economic losses of 6.71 billion yuan.

　　II. Strong Earthquakes in Yunnan and Qinghai

　　In May, a total of 6 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater occurred in mainland China. Among them, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in Yangbi County, Dali Prefecture, Yunnan Province on May 21, followed by multiple aftershocks of magnitude 5 or greater, affecting 159,000 people, resulting in 3 deaths, 34 injuries, and damage to a large number of houses and infrastructure, including transportation, roads, municipal facilities, and education. On May 22, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in Maduo County, Golog Prefecture, Qinghai Province, affecting 39,000 people, resulting in 19 injuries, and damage to houses and infrastructure, including roads and bridges, for local farmers and herdsmen.

　 　III. Floods in Southwest, Jiangnan, and South China

　　In May, the national average rainfall was 59 mm, 12% more than the same period of previous years. Five regional torrential rain processes occurred in southern China, with rainfall increasing and intensifying, especially after mid-May, and overlapping in some areas. The runoff of the Yangtze River's main stream and the Ganjiang River in the Poyang Lake basin and the Xiangjiang River in the Dongting Lake basin was 10-60% higher than usual, and 89 rivers across the country experienced floods exceeding warning levels. In May, floods affected 3.709 million people in 18 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities), including Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Fujian, resulting in 4 deaths, 66,000 people urgently relocated, nearly 3,000 houses collapsed, and direct economic losses of 4.77 billion yuan. In addition, geological disasters occurred in 15 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) in May, mainly small-scale landslides and collapses, resulting in one death.

　 　IV. Drought in Yunnan Eases, Local Drought in North China

　　In May, several strong rainfall processes occurred in southern China, improving soil moisture in some previously drought-stricken areas and replenishing reservoir water. Droughts in most of southern China were relieved, and the drought situation in Yunnan and Guangdong provinces eased. At the same time, due to less rainfall in northern China recently, drought began to emerge and develop in Inner Mongolia, Hebei, and Jilin provinces (regions), with moderate or more severe soil moisture deficits in some areas.

　 　V. Forest Fires Mainly Occurred in Southwest and North China

　　Affected by the continuous drought in parts of Southwest China and strong winds in northern North China, forest fires in May mainly occurred in Sichuan, Yunnan, Hebei, Shanxi, and Inner Mongolia. According to preliminary statistics, a total of 22 forest fires occurred nationwide in May, a decrease of 123 compared with the same period in 2020, a decrease of 84.8%, and 6 people died in forest fires. Two grassland fires occurred, an increase of 2 compared with the same period in 2020.