Recent signals
- earthquakeUSGSyesterdayM 4.9 - 24 km NNW of Murghob, Tajikistan24 km NNW of Murghob, TajikistanSource →-1.0
- earthquakeUSGS3d agoM 4.6 - 24 km NNW of Kazarman, Kyrgyzstan24 km NNW of Kazarman, KyrgyzstanSource →-1.0
- -3.0
- earthquakeUSGS6d agoM 4.5 - 15 km SSE of Ekibastuz, Kazakhstan15 km SSE of Ekibastuz, KazakhstanSource →-1.0
- -1.0
- -3.0
- floodGDACS2w agoGreen flood alert in ChinaOn 15/05/2026, a flood started in China, lasting until 27/05/2026 (last update). The flood caused 18 deaths and 23112 displaced .Source →-3.0
- wildfireGDACS2w agoGreen forest fire notification in Russian Federation, ChinaOn 14/05/2026, a forest fire started in Russian Federation, China, until 21/05/2026.Source →-3.0
- earthquakeUSGS2w agoM 4.7 - 5 km ESE of Hualien City, Taiwan5 km ESE of Hualien City, TaiwanSource →-1.0
- -1.0
- -3.0
- -1.0
- wildfireGDACS4w agoGreen forest fire notification in ChinaOn 04/05/2026, a forest fire started in China, until 13/05/2026.Source →-3.0
Foreign-ministry advisories
Practical guidance
What the disaster sub-score covers
China’s natural-disaster sub-score is 13/100 (high band). It combines the country’s long-term hazard exposure (fault lines, tropical cyclone tracks, volcanic chains, flood basins) with the live event feed from USGS, NOAA, NHC, JMA, GVP, and regional agencies. A score drop usually means a specific recent event; baseline hazard exposure barely moves year over year. The events feed above shows what is currently active.
Seasonality matters more than the headline number
Most natural-hazard risk is seasonal. Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November (peak August to October). Pacific typhoon season is broadly May to October. Indian Ocean monsoon flooding peaks June to September in South Asia. North Atlantic storm surge weights winter months. Volcanic and seismic risk is non-seasonal but clusters geographically; a country’s baseline score factors this in, but your specific itinerary’s exposure depends on which region you visit. The country safety guide’s natural- hazards chapter breaks it down by region.
What to actually do
Three concrete steps that move you out of the “tourist who got caught in it” bucket: enrol in your government’s traveller-notification programme (STEP for US citizens, LOCATE for UK, Smartraveller subscription for AU) so embassies can reach you in a major incident; download offline maps of your destination before you arrive (Maps.me or Google Maps offline) because mobile networks fail first in most disasters; and read the relevant Field Manual response guide for the specific hazard your destination carries. How to survive an earthquake while travelling and the wildfire, flood, and hurricane equivalents are linked from the relevant country safety guides.
Related for China
Long-form context
China is among the safest large countries in the world by general crime measures and operates one of the most-developed traveller infrastructures on the planet (the world’s largest high-speed rail network, modern metros in 50+ cities, ubiquitous digital payments). The 2024 wave of visa policy reforms (240-hour transit visa-free for 54 nationalities, full visa-free entry for several EU and Asia-Pacific countries) has reopened the country to mainstream tourism after the long pandemic closure. The structural risks are not crime: they are operational complexity (the Great Firewall and payment ecosystem, Tibet permit logistics, Xinjiang sensitivity), the death-penalty drug law, the Sichuan and Yunnan earthquake exposure, the seasonal air quality calendar, and a small set of political and surveillance considerations. This guide unpacks the visa-free transit mechanics, the Alipay and WeChat Pay tourist modes, the Tibet permit process, the regional risk map including Hong Kong and Macau, and the practical contacts that shape a Chinese itinerary.
Frequently asked about China
What natural hazards affect China?
China's natural-disaster sub-score is 13/100. It combines long-term hazard exposure (fault lines, tropical cyclone tracks, volcanic chains, flood basins) with the live event feed from USGS, NOAA, NHC, JMA, GVP, and regional agencies. Currently active events are listed in the recent-signals feed above.
When is hurricane / typhoon season in China?
Atlantic hurricane season runs June through November (peak August to October). Pacific typhoon season is broadly May to October. Indian Ocean cyclone season splits between November to April (southern hemisphere) and April to December (Bay of Bengal). China's specific exposure window is documented in the country safety guide.
What should I do if a natural disaster happens while I am in China?
Three concrete steps before you go: enrol in your government's traveller-notification programme (STEP for US, LOCATE for UK, Smartraveller subscription for AU), download offline maps because mobile networks fail first in major incidents, and read the relevant Field Manual response guide (earthquake, hurricane, wildfire, flood) for the specific hazard your destination carries.