Urban disaster prevention and mitigation occupies a critically instrumental role in urban development. With the assistence and support of meteorology, a handful of metropolises in China have accumulated their experience and practice and scored pronounced results in this field. 

Xiamen is one of the coastal islands in Fujian, China. It is susceptible to extreme weather like plum rain and typhoon. It has much experience in tackling those weather events.

Xiamen Municipal Meteorological Department (hereinafter referred to as the Department) has improved its joint meteorological warning and emergency response mechanism, reinforced cooperation with other departments and optimized the "1262" refined urban and rural meteorological disaster warning linkage mechanism. Besides, the city has took the initiative in releasing location-based red warning signal targeted warning SMS.

On March 11, the Department carried out a test of the pre-flood mobile phone warning information targeted release system. Photoed by LIN Mindan

The progressive services have been instrumental in tackling diverse severe weather processes. For instance, in 2024, in response to myriad severe weather conditions, the Service published 904 issues of decision-making service materials in total and released 612 early warning signals, 219 special meteorological services bulletins, 1,048 early warning signals and risk information, sent over 2 million “12,379” SMS messages, and adopted call and response via phones for 1,020 times.

In responding to Super Typhoon Krathon, the Department implemented refined forecasting and early warning services with sea-zone-specific and time-specific precision across Xiamen's coastal waters. During tackling the impacts of Typhoon Gaemi, it has innovated a zone-based early warning operational mechanism. Additionally, it has achieved targeted dissemination of real-time updates and alert messages to flood control personnel at village and township levels, ensuring the dissemination of emergency warning within five minutes.

On July 24, 2024, during the impact of Typhoon Gaemi, Xiamen Meteorological Service Centre organized a service team to publicize typhoon and rainstorm prevention knowledge in various forms. Photoed by LIN Mindan

The Department strengthened cross-departmental coordination with emergency management, municipal administration, and natural resources planning authorities. Through joint consultation meetings, 25 geological hazard risk warnings were issued. Furthermore, a joint issuance mechanism for transport meteorological warning services was established, delivering precision meteorological services to transportation, agricultural, maritime sectors and related departments.

They also deliver meteorological services for key sectors and safety production. In addition, the forecasting and early warning process is optimized to improve the intelligent level.

Editor: LIU Shuqiao