Reuters
April 10, 2002

China only began publishing death tolls from natural disasters last September, as they were previously considered a state secret.

(excerpt)

China was beset by droughts, floods, typhoons and blizzards in 2005 which caused the highest level of economic losses in five years and killed almost 2,500 people, the government said on Thursday. China only began publishing death tolls from natural disasters last September, as they were previously considered a state secret. The government still keeps details of past calamities under wraps. "Two thousand and five witnessed yet another year fraught with natural disasters for China," Li Liguo, vice minister for civil affairs, told a news conference. Eight typhoons made landfall in China last year, and there were 13 earthquakes measuring 5 or higher on the Richter scale, Li said. Although fewer people died in natural disasters in 2005 than in 2001, when more than 2,500 perished, economic losses of 204.2 billion yuan ($25.31 billion) were the highest in five years, Li noted. A prolonged drought in parts of southern China also left 70 million people facing food shortages, added Wang Zhenyao, head of the ministry’s disaster relief department. Li said the government had been able to cope with all last year’s disasters.