Real-Time Flood and Traffic Apps Coming to Beijing
By Cathy Wu
Thanks to new digital resources, residents of Beijing will now be more prepared than ever to deal with any possible traffic issues caused by heavy rains and flooding. Traffic Administration Bureau officials announced last week that they will work with phone map operators to begin releasing real-time traffic and flood information on map apps beginning June 1, Sina reports.
“Before, if heavy rain resulted in flooding and jams, we used traffic guiding displays to notify drivers, which was not timely and user-friendly enough,“ officials explained.
Users can now check up-to-date traffic information on Baidu Map and Gaode Map, where flooded areas will be marked in red. Users will also receive flooded area alerts on their phones so they can steer clear of waterlogged areas.
Also, officials will release more weather information via accounts on Sina Weibo, such as @天气预报（@Weather Report). Sina will also monitor weather-related netizens' posts and report them back to officials in order to achieve effective two-way communication.
Officials have also renovated 83 high-risk areas and over 4,200 rainwater control points for flood prevention.
Meteorological officials said they are expecting less rain and more hot days this year than in the past. However, in case of any deluges, Beijing will be prepared.
[Image via Economist]
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