Various marine disasters

Author: Wang Zhaochun
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-09-01
Features: Since the birth of humanity, natural disasters have been an inseparable companion, bringing countless hardships and sufferings to the primitive ancestors with limited knowledge and skills, often resulting in catastrophic consequences. With the prosperity of material and spiritual civilization in human society, natural disasters have not subsided; they remain an extremely threatening Dāmakālisword hanging over all humanity. According to statistics from international organizations under the United Nations at the end of 1999, the occurrence of major disasters globally over the past 50 years has shown a clear upward trend, increasing from 20 incidents in the 1950s to over 80 in the 1990s, with economic losses soaring by 14 times. China is one of the few countries in the world with severe natural disasters. Not only are there numerous types of disasters, but their frequency and intensity are also high, causing extremely serious social and economic losses. Statistics show that since the 1990s, direct economic losses caused by natural disasters have accounted for approximately 1/6 to 1/4 of the national fiscal revenue, with an average of 10,000 to 20,000 deaths annually due to disasters. Sudden natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, and storms often occur in clusters, severely threatening the environment and resources on which humanity depends for survival, endangering human existence and development, and causing concern and attention from socially aware individuals and world leaders. To address this, the 42nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1987 designated the last decade of the 20th century as the "International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction" to coordinate global efforts in disaster resistance. The 54th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 decided to launch a larger-scale and longer-term "International Strategy for Disaster Reduction" based on the "International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction," which would serve as the foundation for future international collaborative actions. Its goal is to enhance society's ability to withstand disasters and coordinate sustained efforts by countries to prevent and mitigate disasters. This marks the entry of global disaster reduction efforts into a new era. The features of this series of books are to confront the reality of disasters head-on, unreservedly presenting the grim reality and its implications to readers. It warns people to learn from past lessons and take preventive measures, while also informing them on how to protect themselves during major earthquakes and how to save themselves when disasters strike. It also guides readers on how to minimize losses after being affected by floods, droughts, cold waves, and heatwaves, thereby reducing disaster-related losses to the lowest extent possible. The series strives to explain scientific concepts through simple narratives, inspire reflection through philosophical thinking, raise public awareness of crises, and help people fully recognize that disaster prevention and reduction is everyone's responsibility.