Landslides: Extent and economic significance in China

This paper examines the landslide situation in China, which has 15 provinces with landslide problems caused mainly by heavy rainfall and earthquakes. Landslides are a significant problem in southwest China, the Loess Plateau area, and Taiwan, including the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Tibet, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Gansu, Qinghai, Huhei, Hunan, Fujian and Taiwan. The annual economic losses due to landslides have been estimated to be about 0.5 billion US dollars, and the number of landslide-related fatalities per year exceeds 100. Organizations concerned with landslide study offer guidance on the possible approaches to prevention and control of landsliding.