Sand Dust Storm in China

Global Conference on Natural Disasters | Sand dust storm in China | Focus on China | | Contents 1. 0 Introduction2 2. 0 Sand Dust Storm in China2 2. 1 Definition2 2. 2 Location2 2. 3 When did it happen? 2 2. 4 What caused the event? 2 2. 5 What areas were affected? 2 3. 0 Effects and Damage of Sand Dust Storm2 3. 1 Short and long term effects2 3. 2 Extent of the Damage2 4. 0 Historic Records and Extent of effects of Sand Dust Storm2 4. 1 Historic Records of Sand Dust Storm in Beijing2 4. 2 Main damage ways of Sand Dust Storm2 4. 3 Damage of Sand Dust Storm2 . 0 Prevention and Positive effects of Sand Dust Storm2 5. 1 Causes of Sand Dust storm2 5. 2 Prevention2 5. 3 Positive outcomes from the disaster2 6. 0 The End2 Conclusion2 Recommendations2 Reference list2 1. 0 Introduction This report is authorised by the attending of a global conference on natural disasters. It focuses on one of main problems of China and uses a descriptive statistical method to analyse the historical overview of global natural disasters to ascertain the influence of sand dust storm on China. 2. 0 Sand Dust Storm in China 2. Definition “A sand storm is basically a wind storm that carries sand through the air, forming a relatively low cloud near the ground” (Coenraads 2006, 234). “Most sandstorms occur in the sandy areas of deserts. Some occur on beaches; dry riverbeds; or deposits of gravel, sand, and silt called alluvial fans” (Dirks 2010, 110). “Dust storms form in semi-arid and arid regions where small dust and sand particles are blown into the air” (Coenraads 2006, 234). “A dust storm may occur hundreds of miles and rise to a height of more than 305 meters.

It carries as much as 875 metric tons of dust particles per cubic kilometre of air” (Dirks 2010, 392). 2. 2 Location Strong dust storms hit Xinjiang Autonomous Region, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, Hong Kong and Taiwan. (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010) 2. 3 When did it happen? It happened on March 22, 2010. (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010) 2. 4 What caused the event? Beijing meteorological offices director GuoHu said, “This influence of Beijing's dust source is in Mongolia and in middle Inner Mongolia region.

The dust was wafted from thousands of meters altitude by the conveying of strong winds. From the perspective of meteorology, this is unstoppable climate phenomena” (Xinhua NET 2010). 2. 5 What areas were affected? The other areas were affected where were “South Korea, North Korea and Japan by March 22, before being carried across the Pacific Ocean by the jet stream, with some dust reaching the West Coast of the United States” (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010). 3. 0 Effects and Damage of Sand Dust Storm 3. 1 Short and long term effects “The dust storm in late March spiralled around a strong low pressure system.

Many areas recorded an extremely rare level 5 "hazardous" rating for air quality. Many flights in Beijing were also delayed or cancelled. Air pollution readings in Hong Kong reached a record high, reaching at least 15 times the recommended maximum levels by the World Health Organization. Taiwan also reported a new record for worst sandstorm conditions. A strong sandstorm tore through Turpan in Xinjiang on April 23, sparking fires that killed two people and forcing a shutdown of rail and road traffic for six hours” (2010 China drought and dust storms 2010). . 2 Extent of the Damage According to the news releases of the state forestry administration desertification monitoring centre of China on March 28 2010, Extent of the Damage of Sand Dust Storm affected 304 counties of 11 provinces and the air of 6 key cities was severely Polluted. The affected area is about 1. 20 square kilometres, the affected population is about 70 million people, and cultivated land area was affected more than 6. 4 million hectares, garden area was more than 1. million hectares, grassland area was more than 65 million hectares. (2010 new composition in the exams preparation material: climate and environment 2010) 4. 0 Historic Records and Extent of effects of Sand Dust Storm 4. 1 Historic Records of Sand Dust Storm in Beijing Sand Dust Storm does not only appear in the present times, it has already appeared since ancient times. The Sand Dust Storm has appeared since 1425 in Beijing. It normally mainly appeared in Beijing from January to April in Chinese calendar. The probability is 83. 6%. It has appeared almost annually since 2000. (Dr. Mars 2010) 4. 2 Main damage ways of Sand Dust Storm Firstly it is the strong wind. The strong wind uses sand and dust to destroy buildings and public facilities and cause the casualties of people and livestock. Secondly it is sand buried. The wind-drift sand causes a lot of events they are farmland, channel, cottages, railway and pasture were sand buried, and especially cause serious threat for transportation. The third way is wind erosion, and the last way is air pollution. Dr. Mars 2010) 4. 3 Damage of Sand Dust Storm The sand dust storm mainly causes 5 results. They are ecological environment deterioration, damage of production and life, losses of lives and property, damage traffic safety and harm to human health. (Dr. Mars 2010) 5. 0 Prevention and Positive effects of Sand Dust Storm 5. 1 Causes of Sand Dust storm The causes of sand dust storm might be degeneration of grassland and vegetation and excessive reclamation. 5. 2 Prevention The Sand Dust Storm has not been prevented yet.

Beijing meteorological offices director GuoHu said,” As long as the sediment sources exist, sandstorm will not disappear” (Xinhua NET 2010). 5. 3 Positive outcomes from the disaster Although there is much harm of sandstorm, but the whole process of sandstorm is a part of natural ecosystem. It can slow the damage of greenhouse effect and slow the acid rain or soil acidification. (TT Aixuan 2010) 6. 0 The End Conclusion The sand dust storm is caused by degeneration of grassland and vegetation and excessive reclamation.

Although it is a part of natural ecosystem, it causes lots of damages like: ecological environment deterioration, damage of production and life, losses of lives and property, damage traffic safety and harm to human health. We should try to prevent it with the ways like establish forecast system of sandstorm and improve environmental governance and environmental protection. Recommendations From this research report, we can find a nature rule that is if human cannot protect earth and make the ecological balance ourselves; earth will use its own way to make the balance.

But here is a problem that is normally the method of earth uses is more harmful for human than our own way. Reference list 2010 China drought and dust storms. 2010. Wikipedia. http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/2010_China_drought_and_dust_storms#cite_note-21 (accessed November 24, 2010). 2010 new composition in the exams preparation material: climate and environment. 2010. http://peng99. com/zuowen/Article/2852_2. shtml (accessed November 25, 2010). Coenraads, R. 2006. Natural disasters and how we cope. Victoria: The Five Mile Press. Dirks, A. 2010. Dust storm in The World Book Encyclopedia.

Vol. 5. Chicago: World Book. Dirks, A. 2010. Sandstorm in The World Book Encyclopedia. Vol. 17. Chicago: World Book. Dr. Mars. 2010. Beijing sand dust storm. http://baike. baidu. com/view/3381041. htm (accessed November 26, 2010). TT Aixuan. 2010. Sand duststorm. Bai Du Encyclopedia. http://baike. baidu. com/view/2097. htm (accessed November 24, 2010). Xinhua NET. 2010. Meteorological experts: as long as the sediment sources exist, Beijing sandstorms will not disappear. http://news. sina. com. cn/c/2010-03-20/114119905302. shtml (accessed November 26, 2010).