Alexandra G. Geol9

      China experiences several coastal problems due to rapid development, environmental stress, and climate change. These issues can make the country susceptible to long-term damage on the Eastern coastline. Coastal erosion in cities like Shanghai are losing land because of beaches and wetlands shrinking. The variables that cause coastal erosion in China include extreme weather, climate change, and human development activities such as building the Three Gorges Dam and sand mining. While the land shrinks back, sea levels are rising from local land subsidence and climate change.  The coastal sea level in China rose at an annual rate of 3.9 mm during 1993–2020 and reached its third highest level in 2020. Amongst one of China's most dangerous coastal hazards is typhoons and storm surge risks. On the Southeastern coastline, Fujian and Guangdong provinces are frequently hit by powerful typhoons which results in coastal flooding and economic loss from infrastructure d...

      China is environmentally diverse and experiences all four seasons, with that being said, each season comes with a different type of extreme weather condition. From June to September, typhoons are common in the Southern and Eastern coastal areas, which can lead to flooding along the rivers. Summer monsoons also hit the hardest in Southern China. Opposite of extreme rainy weather is droughts in the North and Northwest that can be long-lasting and impact agriculture and water supply. Sandstorms frequent during in the spring from high winds over the Gobi Desert affecting Beijing, Tianjin and Northeastern China.       In recent weather reports, China has experienced what CNN is calling a "weekend of fire and ice" due to a massive blizzard and record heat wave hitting the country during the first weekend of March 2025.  Blizzards swept across the Eastern province of Shandong, South of Beijing, with snow up to 13 centimeters deep. Travel was d...

      Landslides are a major hazard in China due to heavy rainfall, earthquakes and urbanization. China has vast mountainous regions and extreme storms caused by monsoon weather. Mass wasting is a frequent problem that causes significant damage and loss of life. Many regions in Southwestern China have loose soil and steep slopes. For example, the 2008 earthquake in Wenchuan triggered thousands of landslides that blocked rivers and in 2017 mass wasting occurred in Sichuan burying 120 people alive. Glacial melting and climate change have impacted the regions of Tibet and Xinjiang, leaving them vulnerable to mass wasting.      To prevent and mitigate this issue, China has implemented serval measures to reduce risk. Reforestation projects expand vegetation over slopes, geological monitoring systems use sensors and satellites to detect early warning signs, and infrastructures have been reinforced with retaining walls and drain. People have also been moved out of...

      China has only a few active volcanoes located far from the tectonic plate boundaries. Majority of China's volcanoes are categorized as extinct and found primarily on the Eastern border. One of the largest volcanic eruptions the world has experienced happened in the 11th century AD at the China/Korea border; at the Baitoushan Volcano. Historically, the main active volcanoes in China include Wudalianchi, Kunlun, Hainan, and Changbaishan.  China has experienced very few volcanic eruptions throughout history, with the most recently recorded being on May 27, 1951. There has been recent unrest during 2002-2005 possibly projecting future eruptions.  Volcanoes of China: Facts & Information | VolcanoDiscovery China has taken mitigation actions to reduce the severe and sometimes fatal effects of a volcanic eruption. In 1999, a National Volcano Monitoring Network was put in place to help with hazard planning. This network researches and takes surveillance of Chin...

 China has the most earthquakes out of /any other country in Asia. Recent earthquakes from Jan1. 2025 to today have shown to have the most seismic activity in the Southwest region of China. An area known as Xizang, Northeast of Mt. Everest, has experienced 80 earthquakes since the new year has begun. The quakes are occurring right in between two convergent plate boundaries. During January of this year, China experienced a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that killed approx. 126 people, making it one of the deadliest events in recent years. The country is especially seismic due to the crashing of the Eurasia and India plates.  China has invested in satellites to predict catastrophes, early detection/warning systems and over $31mil USD in seismological research. The people of China also conduct risk assessments and regulation on enforcing strict building codes. Schools have integrated safety procedures and drills. References: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pcg9/...

The majority of China is settled on the Eurasian tectonic plate. It borders the India plate in the Himalayas and the Philippine Sea plate along the Taiwan coast. The Himalayas are influenced in Western China due to the collision of the Eurasian and Indian plates.  References: https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/gsabulletin/article-abstract/95/3/295/186697/An-outline-of-the-plate-tectonics-of-China https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/tectonic-plates-earth https://www.irocks.com/china-crystalline-treasures-e-book-geology-liu-guanghua