Notification of the General Office of the State Council on the Issuance of the Provisional Measures for the Investigation and Assessment of Natural Disasters.
(1) The State Council's Office has issued a notification (No. 28, 2025) regarding the promulgation of the "Provisional Regulations on the Investigation and Assessment of Natural Disasters." This regulation aims to standardize the investigation and assessment of natural disasters, improve disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities, and ensure public safety and social stability.
(2) The regulation defines natural disaster investigation and assessment as the process of investigating the cause, course, nature, impact, losses, and responsibilities of natural disasters, such as floods, droughts, meteorological disasters, earthquakes, and geological disasters. The regulation emphasizes the importance of prioritizing public safety and adhering to scientific, rigorous, and law-based principles.
(3) The regulation requires that investigation and assessment work be organized and implemented by county-level or above governments, with the State Council's Office of the State Council responsible for organizing and implementing investigation and assessment for particularly severe disasters. Province-level governments are responsible for organizing and implementing investigation and assessment for major disasters, while county-level governments are responsible for organizing and implementing investigation and assessment for smaller-scale disasters.
(4) The regulation outlines the specific procedures for investigation and assessment, including the formation of investigation and assessment teams, the collection and analysis of data, and the submission of investigation and assessment reports to the relevant authorities. The regulation also emphasizes the importance of ensuring the objectivity, fairness, and accuracy of investigation and assessment results.
(5) Investigation and assessment reports must include information on the disaster's basic situation, its course and impact, disaster prevention and mitigation measures, emergency preparedness, information reporting, emergency response, direct cause analysis, major problems, responsibilities, lessons learned, and suggested improvement and prevention measures.
(6) The regulation requires that investigation and assessment reports be submitted to the relevant authorities within 60 days of the formation of the investigation and assessment team, with the possibility of extending the deadline in special circumstances. The regulation also requires that investigation and assessment reports be made public and that the relevant authorities implement the suggested improvement and prevention measures.
(7) The regulation emphasizes the importance of ensuring the professional capabilities and technical support for natural disaster investigation and assessment, as well as the sharing of information and data. The regulation also requires that investigation and assessment work be supported by a stable funding mechanism and that information technology be used to improve the efficiency and quality of investigation and assessment work.
(8) The regulation applies to the investigation and assessment of various types of natural disasters, including oceanic and biological disasters, and allows for the development of specific regulations by province-level governments. The regulation comes into effect on the date of its promulgation.