Torrential rain battered Shanghai from late June 16th through the17th with rainfall of over 200 mm in parts of the city. Due to the downpour and the low lying status of the Siping Campus, some roads within the campus were covered with water. The university has launched a flood prevention emergency plan on June 16th and all departments cooperated with every effort to minimize the possible effects of flooding.
Early on June 17th, the Security Department sent out more than 50 security guards to inspect around the campus and provided patrol cars to pick up teachers and students. Guards arrived early in the morning at Sanhaowu Garden and river banks and formed the cordons in all major crossroads. The Security Department was well prepared all day for any emergency.
President Pei Gang and other leaders inspected the whole campus to ensure the safety of teachers and students and an orderly teaching and learning environment. As for the seriously-flooded Jingwei Building, electric power was shut off and replaced with emergency lighting. Leaks in buildings were patched in a timely manner as well. The Logistics Department, in particular, offered free ginger soup to teachers and students; the Property Management Department took measures to drain part of the campus and made proper arrangements for students affected by the heavy rain. The university hospital sterilized public places and some of the flooded dormitory buildings to prevent possible epidemics.
As for the waterlogged areas within the campus, the Asset Management Department explained that Tongji University has long been in a relatively easily-affected, low-lying flood zone. The Siping Road outside the campus is one meter higher than the campus due to the construction of metro stations and the underground interchange. Therefore, the campus can be easily affected by heavy rainfall. The drainage system within the campus is also restricted by the nearby community’s drainage network. In the event of flooding, the University has adopted precaution plans and taken emergency measures to ensure the safety of students and important university assets.
Translated by May Language Studio based upon
http://news.tongji.edu.cn/classid-6-newsid-47643-t-show.html
