As extreme weather events become increasingly common across China, the central government has moved to bolster its social safety net for citizens impacted by flood control measures. This follows a surge in rainfall linked to the East Asia monsoon, which has led to record-breaking floods in regions including Guizhou and the Yangtze River basin.
On Friday, China announced revised compensation rules that will see the central government shoulder 70% of financial compensation for those affected by flood diversion schemes up from an undetermined ratio previously dependent on local fiscal capacity. Local governments will fund the remaining 30%.
A notable policy shift includes the expansion of compensation to cover losses of livestock and poultry that cannot be evacuated ahead of floodwater diversions. Previously, only working animals qualified for reimbursement. This change is especially crucial for rural families whose livelihoods depend on small-scale farming and animal husbandry.
Flood diversion is a critical strategy in China’s disaster management, involving the release of excess river water into designated areas to protect major cities downstream. However, many of these zones once vacant have over time become populated with farmland and even homes, increasing the human and economic toll when they are used. In 2023, nearly one million people were displaced in Hebei Province after authorities diverted water to protect Beijing, sparking widespread public anger.
China currently maintains 98 designated flood diversion areas, most of which are located within major basins like that of the Yangtze River, home to roughly a third of the population. Eight of these zones were utilized during the 2023 Hebei floods.
This year’s monsoon season has already brought rainfall up to twice the normal levels in the Yangtze’s mid and lower reaches. In Guizhou, flooding struck with a force meteorologists say is seen only once in 50 years, catching nearly 300,000 residents off guard.
In response, Beijing has pledged to relocate at-risk communities and industries to safer zones and allocate more land for flood diversion, signaling a long-term shift in how China manages its increasingly volatile climate.
