The streets in Shandong, China’s second most populous province with a population of more than 100 million, were flooded as a result of the heavy rain, and transportation was disrupted. According to Meteorology Specialist Zhang Jianyun, underground areas in large cities should be planned and used extensively for drainage, storage, and water treatment, and the construction of ‘sponge’ cities will also help reduce the risk of flooding.
While more than 42,000 people were evacuated in the Sichuan province of China this morning, more than 60,000 people were negatively affected by the continuous torrential rains in the region.
In 2015, China launched a program to build sponge cities capable of safely holding and draining more rainwater, with permeable asphalt and pavements among potential technological solutions.