Human toll in disasters fell sharply in 2018

Deaths in major workplace accidents down nearly 34 percent, ministry says

China's top emergency management authority has vowed to upgrade its response times to guarantee immediate rescue action after major declines last year in casualties and economic losses from disasters and workplace accidents.

The number of dead and missing in natural disasters last year was down 60 percent from the average of the previous five years, while direct economic losses were down by 34 percent, Huang Ming, Party chief of the Ministry of Emergency Management, told the ministry's annual conference, which concluded on Friday.