Natural disasters in China during the first half of 2025 caused $7.55 billion in economic losses and affected more than 23 million people, with floods accounting for the majority of the damage, an official from the emergency response ministry said.
Major incidents included a powerful earthquake in Tibet, deadly landslides in southwestern provinces, and widespread flooding in southern regions.
The disasters led to 307 deaths or missing persons and forced the evacuation of 620,000 people from affected areas. Nearly 29,600 homes were destroyed—a 28.7% increase compared to last year—while 2.19 million hectares of crops were damaged.
In response, China has expanded economic safety nets for those affected by floods, including direct compensation from the central government and payments for livestock losses. Experts link the rising frequency of extreme weather events to climate change, posing increasing risks to the country’s infrastructure and population.
Recent weeks saw torrential rains and extreme heat challenge aging flood defenses and exposed infrastructure gaps such as limited air conditioning access. Dozens of rivers in southwestern China exceeded safe levels last week while more than 10,000 people were evacuated in the remnants of former typhoon Danas.
Authorities warn that flood and typhoon prevention will remain difficult through mid-August, as intense rainfall and typhoon activity peak in northern and eastern regions.
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China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at coordinating defensive efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving no agreed international framework for securing the vital route.
Trade discussions between China and the U.S. are expected to remain virtual for now, with no major investment initiatives planned before a potential meeting between Xi Jinping and Donald Trump, according to U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
The leader of Taiwan's largest opposition party used her first full day in mainland China to publicly pledge reconciliation, invoking the spirit of her party's founder, Sun Yat-sen, to call for unity whilst surprisingly praising the communist mainland’s developmental achievements.
China and Russia vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday aimed at coordinating defensive efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving no agreed international framework for securing the vital route.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah said it had stopped firing on northern Israel and Israeli forces on Wednesday as part of a two-week ceasefire in the Middle East brokered between the United States and Iran. However, a Hezbollah lawmaker warned that the pause could collapse if Tel Aviv does not adhere to it.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Iran and the United States, along with their allies, have agreed to an immediate two-week ceasefire covering all areas, but Israel says the deal excludes Lebanon. Tel Aviv says the U.S. is committed to achieving shared goals in upcoming negotiations.
Construction has begun on a major new solar power project in Xizang, as China continues to expand its renewable energy capacity and push towards a greener future.
Iran suggested it would be "unreasonable" to proceed with talks to forge a permanent peace deal with the U.S. after Israel pounded Lebanon with its heaviest strikes yet on Wednesday, killing hundreds of people. The warning came from Iran's lead negotiator, parliament speaker Mohammed Bager Qalibaf.
Communities in Mexico have taken to the streets to protest against an ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that has killed wildlife and damaged coral reefs over several weeks.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that the Earth’s climate system is becoming increasingly unstable, with new evidence showing a growing imbalance in how the planet absorbs and releases energy.
China is preparing for a year of extreme weather in 2026, with authorities warning the country could face both severe flooding and widespread drought, underscoring mounting climate pressures.
Heavy rain, flash floods and lightning strikes across Afghanistan have killed 28 people and destroyed hundreds of homes in Kabul, Herat and other provinces.
Central Asia is stepping up efforts to address rapid glacier melt, following United Nations warnings of unprecedented climate pressure on mountain ecosystems.
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