Natural disasters in China Natural disasters in China China is one of the countries most affected by natural disasters. It had 5 of the world's top 10 deadliest natural disasters; the top 3 occurred in China: the 1931 China floods, death toll 3 million to 4 million, the 1887 Yellow River flood, death toll 0.9 million to 2 million, and the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake, death toll 0.83 million. "Natural disasters occur frequently in China, affecting more than 200 million people every year. They have become an important restricting factor for economic and social development." In the course of recorded history, many types of natural
Human response to disasters Human response to disasters Human response to disasters has been recorded throughout human history. In ancient times disasters were often perceived as a result of a deity, divine being, or spiritual creature showing their displeasure over human behavior. This later changed as humans began to see disasters as natural events that caused physical destruction and social chaos to individuals, communities, and societies as opposed to responses to human actions. The term "disaster myth" has been created to describe the belief that people will behave in an irrational, uncontrolled, and even extreme manner outside of normal and accepted social standards despite