China recorded 199.36 billion yuan, or approximately 29.9 billion dollars, in direct losses from natural disasters during the first nine months of 2026. Severe typhoons, flooding, and landslides drove these economic impacts.
The figure represents an 8 per cent decrease from the 217.65 billion yuan lost over the same period in the previous year. Typhoons caused the largest amount of direct financial damage, while geological hazards accounted for 60 per cent of all disaster types.
Eastern coastal provinces suffered the heaviest property destruction and economic losses because of repeated typhoon landfalls. Southwestern and southern China accounted for the majority of fatalities and affected populations.
A total of 1,162 people have died or been classified as missing from China's natural disasters in the first nine months of the year. This number of deaths and missing persons rose from 742 a year earlier.
The ministry stated, "Several sudden extreme disasters in southern regions led to a significant increase in deaths and missing persons compared to the five-year average."
