#Remember: Don’t take the subway or take the tunnel during heavy rain. Lessons from heavy rain in Zhengzhou
Dabai News Commentator: Tao Xin
Recently, Henan Province has suffered severe heavy rain disasters. In particular, Zhengzhou City has experienced extreme rainfall since hydrological records began. According to CCTV News As of 12:00 on the 26th, this round of heavy rainfall had affected 12.9074 million people in 1558 towns and villages in 150 counties (cities and districts) across the province. 69 people died and 5 people were missing due to the disaster.
Zhengzhou Railway Station in heavy rain (Source: China Business News)
Zhengzhou City failed to suspend subway operations and block tunnels in time despite the five red warnings of heavy rain issued by the meteorological department. , Changzhuang Reservoir flood discharge did not promptly notify the public and institutions at all levels to prepare plans, and the decisions of relevant departments in Zhengzhou City have been controversial. At around 6 pm on July 20, a subway train on Line 5 of the Zhengzhou Metro was trapped. After rescue, 12 passengers were still killed, 5 were injured, and some passengers are still missing; the Jingguang Road Tunnel opened at 9 am on July 20. It is also criticized for being wavering on the shutdown from 0 to 6 pm.
The official Weibo of Zhengzhou Meteorological Bureau issued five red rainstorm warnings
When Zhengzhou issued red rainstorm red warnings, did the information be transmitted completely and timely, and did residents and enterprises and institutions in the jurisdiction be accurately informed? Are the decisions made by the competent departments regarding subway and tunnel operations appropriate? Are rescue measures timely when geological disasters occur? Is rescue information disclosed timely and true? Have relevant departments responded satisfactorily to people’s concerns?
The National Development and Reform Commission made a stern statement on the 26th: Once extreme weather and other extraordinary situations occur, we must resolutely and immediately initiate the highest level response. Schools should be suspended, work should be suspended, businesses should be suspended, and operations should be suspended. In order to ensure the safety of the people, it is necessary to promptly alert and adopt road closure measures for tunnels, culverts and other waterlogging-prone sections, evacuate people in an orderly manner, put an end to the mentality of taking chances, overcome paralysis, prevent wasting the opportunity, and do our best to protect the safety of people's lives and property.
The WeChat public account "Network Henan" forwarded the "Emergency Notice on Strengthening the Safety Protection of Important Urban Infrastructure" issued by the National Development and Reform Commission. The emergency notice of Fagaidian [2021] No. 213 requires an immediate and comprehensive investigation of potential disaster hazards; pay close attention to emergency prevention and control measures; speed up the improvement and implementation of the emergency response mechanism; resolutely do a good job in safety management and control of projects under construction; quickly carry out rescue and disaster relief and Resume construction and operations in an orderly manner; and implement the responsibilities of relevant entities at all levels.
Compared with the handling of extreme heavy rain disasters in Zhengzhou City, the statement of the National Development and Reform Commission can be said to be targeted and highly targeted. First of all, the Zhengzhou Meteorological Bureau issued five consecutive red warnings for heavy rains from July 19 to 4 p.m. on July 20. According to the "Early Warning Signals and Defense Guidelines for Sudden Meteorological Disasters" issued by the National Meteorological Administration, red warnings for heavy rains , requiring (1) the government and relevant departments to do a good job in rainstorm emergency response and rescue work in accordance with their duties; (2) stop gatherings, classes, and businesses (except for special industries); (3) do a good job in preventing flash floods, landslides, debris flows and other disasters and rescue work. According to public media reports, Zhengzhou City did not promptly announce the suspension of classes and businesses.
The National Development and Reform Commission document first proposed to “resolutely launch the highest level response immediately.” Dabai commentators noticed that there were five consecutive red warnings for heavy rain from July 19 to July 20 at 16:00. On the evening of that day, there was news that "Zhengzhou has entered a state of first-level combat readiness for natural disasters." The rumor was refuted the next day; according to According to Zhengzhou Daily, Changzhuang Reservoir began to discharge water at around 9 a.m. on July 20, and Zhengzhou City received a notice at around 9 p.m. There are two questions here. First, for the meteorological department, are the information transmission channels to the public accurate and smooth? Are the information channels reaching the government experiencing intestinal obstruction?
Secondly, the National Development and Reform Commission also proposed that "schools should be suspended, work should be suspended, businesses should be suspended, and operations should be suspended." According to public reports from multiple media outlets, the Zhengzhou municipal government did not issue an order requiring the suspension of schools, work, and operations. Among them, the suspension of subway operations is the most tangled. Since the morning of July 20, many subway exits have been closed. The official Weibo of Zhengzhou Metro has more than 20 Weibo posts reminding station closures or line operation adjustments, indicating that the first line of the subway is very important to the operating environment. There was a moment of clarity. However, by 6:10 p.m., all websites were out of service, and an announcement was made at 6:42 p.m. Why was it hesitant and wavering? The National Development and Reform Commission reminds us that "prompt vigilance and road closure measures must be taken for tunnels, culverts and other waterlogging-prone sections, and people should be evacuated in an orderly manner." Unfortunately, we have seen profound lessons from Zhengzhou Metro Line 5 and the Jingguang Road Tunnel.
On July 20, Zhengzhou Metro’s official Weibo issued a suspension announcement
Third, from the time the subway was suspended to the start of external rescue at Shakou Road Station, it was about 9 p.m. During this period of nearly three hours, what kind of communication were the decision-makers carrying out? At what level does delay occur? Why is the decision-making process still as dark as the tunnel between Sha Kou Road and Tan Tan Temple, without any light? The National Development and Reform Commission pointed out that "put an end to the mentality of chance, overcome paralysis and prevent missed opportunities." If surveillance videos in tunnels and subways are released in a timely manner and a transparent decision-making process is announced to the public, only then can the people be convinced and the deceased rest in peace.
Fourth, did Zhengzhou delay the war? "Zhengzhou Release" quickly announced the safe transfer of 500 people on the evening of July 20.
From 10 to 11 o'clock that night, when videos were released one after another confirming that there were casualties at the Shakou Road subway station, the relevant departments did not respond. After the media reported it publicly, they released the news at 3:50 a.m. on July 21, saying, Twelve people were killed and five injured on the Line 5 subway. In fact, the missing people Lu Di, Xiao Pengpeng, Zou Deqiang, Yuan Yukai, Sha Tao and many others have launched calls for help online, but the door to subway rescue has been closed. In particular, Zou Deqiang’s wife traveled from Shanghai to Zhengzhou to look for her husband. Zou Deqiang’s colleagues also confirmed that they saw three other men, including Zou Deqiang, being washed away in the tunnel. The relevant departments still turned a deaf ear.
Fifth, the National Development and Reform Commission pointed out that "the safety of people's lives and property should be protected to the greatest extent possible." Zou Deqiang’s wife, Ms. Bai, and Sha Tao’s wife, etc. called the police and fire department many times and visited almost all tertiary hospitals in Zhengzhou. The missing family members were not among them. However, in the face of so many lives and so many families, No matter how time passes and lives are lost, no department can step forward to initiate rescue. According to public media reports, social rescue workers are willing to help, but the doors of the Line 5 subway are still locked. Has Zhengzhou City fulfilled the requirements of the central leadership?
On the afternoon of July 22, Exit C of Shakou Road Station on Zhengzhou Metro Line 5.
As of 10 p.m. on July 26, Sha Tao’s wife confirmed that she saw the deceased Sha Tao at the funeral home, instead of notifying the missing family members immediately as a result of search and rescue. From disasters to cyber-forced search and rescue operations, it is rare to see open, transparent, warm and heart-warming actions by relevant departments. "When danger occurs, leading cadres at all levels must go deep into the front line and take command from the front," the National Development and Reform Commission also promptly reminded in a notice. How is Zhengzhou doing?
The disaster has already happened. Face it bravely, draw inferences from one example, find out the gaps, and work hard to change. This is the international style that Zhengzhou should have. This is what Zhengzhou, the capital of 3,600 years ago, should have. size and pattern. We hope that the rulers in Zhengzhou can sincerely face the doubts in the public and adopt a sincere and humble attitude to solve the problem, instead of trying to cover up their faults by making excuses, or stage a farce of "capturing foreign journalists alive" to divert attention and make the international community laugh.