City prepares as flood season approaches

The city is expected to enter flood season next month, with prevention measures underway to prepare for the coming storms and typhoons.

The flood prevention office said the extreme weather would put the current emergency control system under great pressure.

The construction of 140 key infrastructure projects, which had been affected by the novel coronavirus pandemic, will have to carry on during flood season. Safety inspections had also started later this year.

Currently, there are about 42,000 underground sites and 500 tunnels across the city.

Water-level detectors have been installed in some of these areas to prevent waterlogging. Vehicles will be banned when water levels exceed 25 centimeters.

Meanwhile, drills will be carried out with marine forecast centers and emergency offices in Qingpu and Jiading districts in June.

Enterprises along Suzhou Creek and Huangpu River have also raised their alert level for the floods. Safety inspections will be carried out twice a day along both waterways.

An advanced command platform has been developed to cope with emergencies, enabling more efficient communication among departments.

The heaviest rain of the year so far is forecast between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, which officials said could be a test of flood prevention measures.

"We will focus on every aspect to ensure residents' safety and health, as this is what matters most," said Wang Mengjiang from Shanghai Flood Control Headquarters.