Shanghai is turning extensive disaster risk assessments into practical tools for emergency response, using detailed maps of vulnerable areas and evacuation facilities to better protect residents from typhoons, floods and other natural hazards.
The coastal megacity has identified 1,925 emergency shelters for flood and typhoon response, 7,992 temporary refuge points and 1,536 evacuation points in hazardous areas, according to Wang Jinfei, director of the Shanghai Emergency Management Affairs and Chemicals Registration Center.
The information has been integrated into a citywide digital map that is regularly updated, enabling emergency officials to determine who needs to evacuate, where they should go and how many people each shelter can accommodate.
Zhang Fei, an official at the emergency command center of the Shanghai Emergency Management Bureau, said the data allows authorities to make evacuation decisions based on verified information rather than relying primarily on experience.
During typhoons, officials continuously monitor shelter occupancy and coordinate with local authorities to verify evacuation progress, with particular attention to construction sites and other vulnerable locations.
The system builds on Shanghai's participation in China's first national comprehensive natural disaster risk survey, which brought together data from more than 20 sectors, including meteorology, water management, transport and housing.
Feng Benxiu, a senior engineer at the center, described the survey as a comprehensive "safety check-up" for the megacity, helping authorities identify potential hazards, vulnerable areas and available emergency resources.
Shen Ju, another engineer involved in the survey, said her team verified nearly 2,000 survey subjects and more than 50,000 data indicators, correcting over 2,000 questionable entries to improve data accuracy.
The findings have also been translated into practical tools for residents. In Putuo district, public disaster prevention maps developed in neighborhoods including Caoyang Xincun and Changfeng Xincun identify areas vulnerable to flooding and strong winds, as well as nearby shelters, medical facilities and automated external defibrillators, Shen said.
Residents can access the maps online or through community noticeboards, enabling them to identify nearby risks and evacuation routes.
Shanghai has also introduced its first local standard for the management of flood and typhoon shelters, covering their opening, operation and provision of essential services.
Zhang Chengpeng, an engineer involved in drafting the standard, said field inspections had uncovered problems including unclear signs, aging facilities and discrepancies between designated and actual shelter capacities. These findings helped inform practical requirements for shelter management.
Alongside infrastructure development and technological improvements, Shanghai has strengthened grassroots preparedness through training programs and emergency response exercises.
According to the center, training programs for grassroots disaster information officers have recorded more than 20,000 attendances, covering hazard identification, disaster reporting, warning dissemination and evacuation procedures.
For Zhang Chengpeng, the value of these efforts ultimately lies in improving emergency decision-making.
"The clearer our data, the more accurate our decisions," he said.
