Aon Benfield Sponsors Updated Atlas of Natural Disaster Risk in China

Reinsurance broker Aon Benfield has sponsored the third edition of the Atlas of Natural Disaster Risk in China, a Chinese government research project that for the first time looks at how hazard, vulnerability and exposure integrate to help implement more effective prevention measures.

Beijing Normal University, a partner of Aon Benfield Research’s academic collaboration, led the collective work by key research institutes in China.

Economic losses over the last 20 years have cost almost 200 billion RMB [$31.28 billion]. The losses have been triggered by a series of events, including the snow storm and the Wenchuan earthquake in 2008, the drought in north, northeast and southwest China in 2009, and the 2010 Yushu earthquake, according to the research.

Aon said the atlas pools almost a decade of research to deliver some 400 maps. It comprises all major natural perils including earthquake, flood, drought, landslide, storms, snow, hail, frost, forest fire and grassland fire. Presented on a national and local basis, the atlas also includes maps showing topography, climate, vegetation zones and land use.