Stable Urban Operation and Public Safety Guaranteed

By Qi Chuanbin

Shanghai issued this year's first blue alert on typhoon on August 3, launched the level IV response to flood prevention and typhoon control, and promoted it to level III the next day.

Thus, the officials of the District Government attach great importance to preventing the typhoon Hagupit. All the departments and sub-districts take measures to prevent it at the first time, and fight against strong wind and rainstorm brought by Hagupit for 40 hours in a row, to ensure the safety of people's lives and property and the stability of urban operation.

Since Hagupit hits Shanghai with the occurrence of astronomical tide, the District Construction and Management Committee suspends to diverse water from the pump gate of Hongkou Port and lowers the water level of the inland river in advance, in order to enhance the river channels’ storage capacity according to the requirements of typhoon prevention and flood control.

The municipal drainage personnel strengthen duty-performing, and clean storm inlets and drain the ponding on streets in time. The drainage pumping plants keep carrying out equipment maintenance, while pump trucks and emergency commandos arrive at the designated locations in advance as planned, to rapidly handle emergencies if happened. Moreover, all the construction sites in Hongkou are inspected and required to strengthen the flood-control management of foundation pits, tower crane and other facilities, and implement 24-hour inspection by emergency crew and other measures.

Affected by COVID-19, some of the beautiful-home projects originally planned to be completed before the flood season have been postponed in varying degrees, and the number of housing repair and renovation projects in the whole district has increased. In response, the District Housing Security and Housing Administration Bureau, immediately requests the units responsible for housing repair projects to implement preventive measures for key parts and key links, such as top fence, debris cleaning, and standardized electricity use, as required in typhoon prevention and flood control, and to make necessary reinforcement for scaffolds and nodes at the construction site after receiving the typhoon warning.

Furthermore, Hongkou carries on inspection on typhoon prevention and flood control and materials in residential areas, emphatically strengthens to inspect the hidden danger due to falling objects in community, and urges to take prevention measures through spot check by the District Housing Security and Housing Administration Bureau, inspection by the sub-district housing security and housing administration office, and self-inspection by the property service enterprises.

In order to reduce the risk due to falling objects caused by strong wind and heavy rain, the District Greening Urban and Appearance Bureau works with each sub-district to inform merchants and owners here to self-inspect the safety of outdoor advertisements, signboards and landscape lighting, thus eliminating hidden dangers at the first time.

Besides, the District Greening Urban and Appearance Bureau focuses on inspecting the safety of outdoor advertising facilities in important commercial circles, assembly occupancies and on old buildings, rectifies and removes the facilities with hidden dangers such as damage and loose screw, to inspect every single corner. At the same time, it strengthens to take care of trees in Hongkou. As of 10:00 on August 5, a total of 285 emergency personnel and 50 emergency vehicles were sent to dispose 24 fallen trees, 27 tilted trees, and 24 broken branches.

After receiving the typhoon warning, Shanghai Hongkou Urban Construction and Development Co., Ltd. quickly prepares to complete many tasks in terms of personnel, materials and measures. All kinds of emergency tools, including rain gear, shovels and lightering vehicles, and emergency teams are on standby 24 hours to ensure the safety and order to collect and dispose domestic waste in the whole district. As required by the cooperative mechanism of drainage, Hongkou dredges all the water outlets in the whole district, and further increases to clean fallen leaves on roads, and reduces the time of leaves lying on the ground, in order to keep a smooth road drainage.

In addition, the sub-districts widely publicize the knowledge on typhoon prevention and flood control in the community, improve residents’ awareness of risk aversion, guide a safe travel, organize forces to inspect old houses, underground space and other key areas and key parts, and implement emergency measures for preventing flood, wind and rainstorm.

According to the District Flood Control Headquarters, the Municipal Flood Control Headquarters terminated the level III response of typhoon prevention and flood control stations in the whole city as of 11:00 on August 5. In total, the district has sent over 1,500 emergency personnel for municipal drainage, urban appearance and sanitation, housing maintenance and so on, in a bid to guarantee smooth and orderly urban operation and to placate the general public.