The weather is thousands.

Since the beginning of spring this year, frequent and fierce sandstorms have troubled people's lives in many areas of our country.

Inconvenience. In addition to climatic factors, this bad weather is also caused by the increasingly serious land desertification in China. At present, China

Desertification expands at an average rate of 2460 square kilometers per year, which is equivalent to losing the land area of a medium-sized county in one year.

Products. So what does this rapid expansion mean?

According to reports, China's existing desert and desertification land area is 6.5438+0.689 million square kilometers, accounting for 10% of the country's land area.

17.6%, mainly distributed in inland basins and plateaus between 35 and 50 degrees north latitude, forming the west

From Tarim Basin in the east to Songnen Plain in the west, the desert is 4,500 kilometers long from east to west and about 600 kilometers wide from north to south.

Belt. The annual expansion rate of 2,460 square kilometers shows that the desert and desertification in China have not been fundamentally curbed.

The expanding sandy land first leads to an increase in the probability of severe weather such as sandstorm if there is windy weather. our country

Seven sandstorms and sandstorms since the spring of this year have polluted the air in some areas, and even sandstorms have appeared in some areas.

Serious pollution has affected people's health. The ubiquitous dust obviously makes it difficult for outdoor people to breathe.

Fine dust particles carry people's nose and mouth, which can easily lead to respiratory diseases such as cough and asthma. Once they enter,

Eyes can cause pain and discomfort. In urban hospitals in Beijing and other places, the number of ophthalmic patients has surged recently.

Sandstorms also affect people's travel. The sandstorm on the 6th made 53 flights at the Capital International Airport alternate.

When landing at Tianjin Binhai Airport, 9 flights were cancelled, 3 flights returned, departure flights were delayed 19, and 8 flights were cancelled.

Flight. Sandstorms also bring certain dangers to people. Because some billboards are not installed firmly, in the strong wind.

It may collapse when used; And some old trees are very likely to be in windy weather because they have died and their foundations are not firm.

Fracture.

However, the rapid expansion of land desertification has led to the deterioration of the ecological environment and threatened people's survival and development.

Space. Alashan in Inner Mongolia is the sand source of recent sandstorms. More than 200 years ago, it used to be a hero's turkey.

The residence of Huth Mongols after their bloody return to the East; There used to be a "turbulent" Juyan Sea and lush green water plants.

Mainland. However, under the long-term effect of land desertification, it has become more than 90,000 square kilometers and more than 80,000 Gobi.

Square kilometers of desert.

The lower reaches of Tarim River in Xinjiang, southeast of Qaidam Basin in Qinghai, Bashang in Hebei, Naqu in Tibet, desertification land.

The average annual growth rate is above 4%. Due to the oppression of sandstorms, thousands of farmers and herdsmen were forced to move to other places.

As an "ecological refugee".

Due to the harm of sandstorm, the economic losses caused are also amazing. It is understood that China has 1500 km of iron.

Due to the sandstorm, roads, 30,000 kilometers of expressways and 50,000 kilometers of irrigation canals were damaged to varying degrees. The expert's calculation is that,

In recent years, the annual direct economic losses caused by sandstorms in China have reached 54 billion yuan. This figure is equivalent to

The fiscal revenue of the five provinces in northwest China is three times that of 1996.

China has always attached great importance to the prevention and control of desertification. Since the founding of New China, mass sand control activities have been organized.

Sandman Especially since 199 1, the sand control project has been formally implemented, and the speed of sand control has obviously accelerated.

By the end of 1998, 70,000 square kilometers of desertified land had been controlled, and the ecological environment in some areas had been significantly improved. but

However, due to the influence of many factors, the overall situation of land desertification in China is still deteriorating, showing a situation of "sand entering and sand retreating"

If it is not fundamentally reversed, the situation is still very serious.

People concerned pointed out that when the sandstorm roared eastward, we should clearly recognize the threat of land desertification and take action as soon as possible.

In the future, we will continue to fight against land desertification and realize the goal of "people enter the sand and retreat".

Xinhua daily telegraph, April 9, 2000, second edition

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