China's Flooding Problems Often A Result Of A Lack Of Land Planning And Over-Industrialization

In the last several years, China has experienced flooding that has left an estimated 20 million persons homeless, creating a serious, but often manmade, tragedy. Even some ranking members of the Chinese government are quick to admit that over-industrialization including the weakening of river banks by the over-removal of trees and foilage and the building of homes and industry way too close to river banks has weakened these river banks, and with the damage to these natural land barriers that contain rivers gone, river flooding disasters are becoming far more common.

Like an industrial society, China must understand the value of land planning and realize that certain environmental and land conservation efforts are vital to stemming the rising number of flooding disasters. Mankind often has far more control over preventing natural disasters like flooding than they realize. Careful land planning is essential to preventing serious disasters such as flooding.

Certainly China wants to continue it's recent role as one of the largest economies in the world. But some control and planning will prevent more environmental disasters in China that can be prevented by manmade means. The role of man to impact his environment is far greater than many realize.