Possibility of typhoon hitting Shanghai 'quite high': official
Workers reinforce trees in Shanghai on July 20, 2018.
The possibility of typhoon Ampil making landfall in Shanghai is quite high, Dong Rong, head of the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau, said on Friday. But the city is ready.
Some 100 pump trucks and more than 100 flood control emergency teams are standing by. All 353 pump stations around the city have also finished inspections, and workers will be monitoring the water level continuously.
Shanghai Public Security Bureau said more staff will be working to take emergency calls so that the police can deal with situations resulting from the typhoon more efficiently.
Meanwhile, police officers will be deployed to about 160 spots in the city which have been assessed as being susceptible to floods in order to stop pedestrians and vehicles when the water level gets too high.
More traffic police officers will be working on major streets, elevated roads, highways, and bridges and tunnels over Huangpu River over the weekend to help relieve traffic pressure.
At the city’s long-distance bus stations, airports, railway stations, Metro stations and ferry terminals, there will also be more police officers to handle potentially large crowds of passengers.
Road facilities
Shanghai Road Administration Bureau said it has started to check all road facilities in the city, with a special focus on important bridges, tunnels and underpasses.
If the water level in an underpass exceeds 20 centimeters, traffic control will be in place to prevent accidents, and if the level reaches 25 centimeters, the underpass will be closed to traffic, the bureau said. There are 575 underpasses in the city.
Also, work high up in the air at all construction sites has been halted in face of the possible hit of the typhoon, and measures have been taken to ensure the safety of workers’ dormitories, warehouses and other large temporary facilities on the sites.
Emergency rescue teams will be standing by all day long.
Buses mobilized
More than 600 buses are mobilized in case the Metro system is suspended because of the typhoon during the weekend. According to Xie Feng, head of the city’s traffic authority, these buses will cover all areas that Metro trains usually operate.
Bai Tinghui, head of Shanghai Water Authority, said outdoor activities and recreation facilities citywide will be suspended. The CSL game of Shanghai SIPG playing against Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao scheduled on Saturday night will be postponed.
The popular exhibition which highlights the city’s achievements in maritime industries held at the 35th floor of Magnolia Plaza in Hongkou District will also temporarily be closed from Saturday until Monday.
Evacuation in Pudong, Jinshan, Fengxian
The flood control authority has made plans to evacuate people who live or work at dangerous locations should Ampil hit Shanghai. The Pudong New Area, Jinshan and Fengxian districts are the key areas of evacuation as many people live around construction sites and near the coast.
More than 46,000 people in Pudong will be evacuated once the city sends an orange alert for the typhoon, most of them workers who live in or near construction sites.
The Shanghai Haiwan Forest Park and Bihaijinsha Beach in Fengxian District, as well as Jinshan City Beach and Langxia Ecological Park in Jinshan District, will close from Saturday noon until the typhoon alert is lifted as the Shanghai Tourism Administration has initiated an emergency mechanism ahead of the typhoon.
It ordered travel agencies to adjust itineraries and schedules and avoid visiting areas likely to be affected. Travel agencies should also properly handle stranded tourists of delayed cruise ships and flights caused by bad weather, the administration ordered.
Travel companies should strengthen checks and reinforcements of glass walls, facilities and advertisement boards, it said.
About 35,000 sanitation workers on Friday cleared around 40,000 garbage bins and removed garbage and sludge from 21,000 manholes to ensure smooth drainage.
Shi Guanghui, head of the flood control authority, said Shanghai hasn’t been struck directly by a typhoon since 2012. “Though we have been doing drills, making plans, we are short in experience,” Shi said. “That's why we have to be extra cautious and prepare for the direct landfall.”
