Shanghai Activates First-Ever Emergency Drainage at Suzhou Creek as Typhoon Dolphin Hits
Typhoon Dolphin's heavy rains forced Shanghai to launch its first emergency discharge at Suzhou Creek estuary, using 15 pumps to lower water levels.
Shanghai has initiated emergency pumping and discharge operations at the Suzhou Creek estuary for the first time, as Typhoon Dolphin drenches the city with heavy rainfall. The move is designed to relieve pressure on inland waterways by redirecting excess water into the Huangpu River.
Fifteen large-capacity pumps are now running continuously near the Waibaidu Bridge, a key point in the city's drainage network. The operation aims to reduce water levels across the entire Suzhou Creek basin, easing strain on flood embankments along both banks and mitigating urban waterlogging.
He Feng, captain of the Shanghai Chengtou Drainage Rescue Team, said lowering the water level at the estuary helps coordinate with pumping stations run by nearby drainage companies, bringing down levels across the basin and reducing damage to flood defenses. His team will remain on standby until the typhoon's impact subsides.
Meanwhile, flood control crews are conducting overnight patrols along the Huangpu River, inspecting embankments and key flood control facilities. Gu Wei, section chief of the Embankment Division at the Shanghai Embankment, Sluice Construction and Operation Center, said all facilities along the river are being kept in sound working condition, with emergency rescue teams ready to be contacted immediately if any danger arises.
The operation marks a significant step in Shanghai's response to the storm, as authorities work to prevent widespread flooding in one of China's most densely populated cities.