Introduction to geohazards of Central China

This thematic set of papers is intended to raise awareness of the types, nature, effects and impacts of geohazards in Central China. The papers will be published in this and subsequent issues of QJEGH and demonstrate the significant impacts that are wrought on the lives and livelihoods of those who live and work in the mountainous areas of Central China. China is all too often in the news as a result of geohazards that have a severe impact on lives and livelihoods. The mountainous terrain of Central China is subject to frequent hazards of high intensity with recent examples such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and the 2010 Zhouqu debris flow. Rapid economic development brings with it expansion of urban centres and infrastructure networks, which not only increases the exposure of the population to natural processes in a dynamic environment, but can also lead to further strains on a landscape that is only marginally stable. Frequent geohazard events have sparked much research in an effort to better understand processes and material properties that can be used to inform and implement effective strategies to mitigate against the negative consequences of these geohazards.