China reports fewer geological disasters in H1

BEIJING - China has reported fewer geological disasters in the first half of the year than the same period of last year, official data showed.

During the January-June period, the country has reported a total of 665 geological disasters, down 86.4 percent year-on-year and 70 percent less than the average of those reported in the previous five years, according to Yu Haifeng, an official with the Ministry of Natural Resources.

The number of deaths and people reported missing during these disasters also fell 48.1 percent from the same period last year, Yu said.

He added that the country has succeeded in forecasting 59 geological disasters in the first half, avoiding possible casualties of 676 people.

The country has launched a national-level mechanism to monitor geological disasters and meteorological risks, and mobilized 267,000 people nationwide to take part in disaster monitoring and early warning, he said.