Marine disasters - mainly torrential tides, red tides, huge waves and oil spills - are expected to affect 20 million Chinese this year with a direct cost of 8 billion yuan (US$966 million).

This is roughly the same figure as that of last year but about 22 per cent up from 2002.

"We are stepping up co-operations with local governments to ensure more people receive warnings in time. Prompt, proper measures can help reduce the losses," said Ye Lin, a leading expert with the Beijing-based National Marine Environmental Forecasting Centre.

Enhancing monitoring of red tides- algae blooms that kill marine creatures either by directly poisoning them or by causing an oxygen deficiency in the water-is one example of effective government efforts in Northeast China's Liaoning Province and East China's Fujian Province.

The efforts have helped increase local farmers' incomes from aquatic cultivation by 200 million yuan (US$24.2 million) last year over the previous year, said Ye.

China had 119 outbreaks of red tides in year 2003, 40 more than that of year 2002, which affected a total area of 14,550 square kilometres, according to a special report of the State Oceanic Administration on marine disasters on Saturday.

Red tide directly caused a deficit of 42.8 million yuan (US$5.2 million) last year.

Red tide ranks third among various marine disasters that cause major economic damage, the first and the second are respectively torrential tides and huge waves caused by various cyclones.

In year 2003, torrential tides cost China 7.9 billion yuan (US$954 million) in direct economic loss along with a death toll of 25, while huge waves claimed 13.9 million yuan (US$1.7 million) and a toll of 103.

"Coastal people should especially watch out for torrential tides and huge waves this year. More of them are expected this year than last," said Ye.

Ma Deyi, director of the National Marine Environment Monitoring Centre in Dalian, Northeast China's Liaoning Province, disclosed that the construction of a second marine satellite will be complete in 2005. The satellite will further improve the country's forecasting capacity of marine disasters, he said.

Enhanced monitoring also enabled the government to better rein in marine pollution, he said.

Also on Saturday, the administration said Chinese seas witnessed a pollution slow-down in year 2003, with the total polluted sea area reduced by 32,000 square kilometres to 142,000 square kilometres.

Ma called more effective governmental measures an essential factor of the lower pollution rate.

Compared with the polluted sea area of about 200,000 square kilometres in year 2000, China is making steady efforts to improve its marine environment, he said.

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