In response to the recent extreme  storm events in many parts of Henan, the Bureau of Work of the Academic Divisions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences urgently launched an emergency consulting project named “Key Issues and Measures of Storm-induced Urban Disaster Prevention”. The project is organized and implemented by two academicians from Tsinghua University, i.e., Prof. Chuhan Zhang and Prof.. Guangqian Wang.

      On July 25th, 2021, the online seminar of this emergency project was held in the Digital Hall of the Sediment Building at Tsinghua University. Nearly 50 experts and professors from related research institutes attended the seminar. Participants are from China Meteorological Administration, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Zhengzhou Water Resources Bureau, Yellow River Survey and Planning Design Co., Ltd., Yellow River Hydraulic Research Institute, Pearl River Hydraulic Research Institute, Tsinghua University, Zhengzhou University, Wuhan University, Beijing Normal University, and etc. The seminar was hosted by Prof. Hongwei Fang, Dean of the Research Institute of Tsinghua University. Mr. Jian Liu from the Department of Consultation and Science Education of the Department of Work attended the seminar.

      Prof. Guangqian Wang first introduced the overview of the project. Then, Prof. Xudong Fu, chair of the School of Civil Engineering of Tsinghua University, delivered a speech and introduced the research and suggestions made by Tsinghua University on major national strategic and safety issues related to water in recent years. Next, Mr. Tongwen Wu, director of the National Climate Center of China Meteorological Administration, explained the recent extreme storm in Henan Province. Mr. Juan Lu, director of the Engineering Technology Research Center for Flood Control, Drought Relief and Disaster Mitigation of the China Institue of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, introduced the flood control situation in the country since 2021. After that, Mr. Yunhe Yuan, chief engineer of Zhengzhou Water Resources Bureau, introduced the situation of the heavy rains and floods in Henan and Zhengzhou online. Later, Prof. Xiaotao Cheng, Chairman of the Urban Water Conservancy Special Committee of the Institue of Water Resources, Mr. Laihong Jing and Mr. Zundang Xie from the Yellow River Survey and Planning Co., Ltd., Mr. Xiaoming Wu from the Pearl River Water Conservancy Research Institute, Prof. Qiting Zuo from Zhengzhou University and other participants made speeches and raised suggestions on measures for disaster reduction. Everyone agreed that the extreme rainstorm in Henan was unexpected and has caused serious economic losses and casualties. With global warming and urbanization in our country, excessive rainfall in cities may become the new normal case in future. Our country urgently needs to conduct research on storm-induced urban disaster prevention. Finally, Prof. Chuhan Zhang made a concluding speech and deployed the next stage’s tasks.

      The project team will produce the first draft of the research report based on the discussions of this seminar within one week and hold a higher-level and larger-scale expert consultation meeting as soon as possible, and strive to form a high-quality consultation report to provide support for national decision-making.