China launches disaster monitoring satellites

Launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center in Shanxi Province and carried by a Long March 2C rocket, the two satellites are expected to enhance the China's capacity to forecast natural disasters, according to Bai Zhaoguang, a leading scientist and designer of the satellites.

"The role of the satellites will be significant when China faces such natural disasters as this year's snowstorms and massive earthquake," he said.