Timely warnings can reduce loss of lives

A popular joke goes that if it rains today it will be wet for the next three days. And then it might rain through the weekend. Meaning, it would be more than a week before people see sunshine again.

However, it is not funny for residents of Beijing and nearby areas, as continuous rainfall has affected people's daily lives. Many public transport services have been disrupted making it troublesome to even commute to the office. The heavy rainfall even poses a danger to people's lives, as the canals have got filled up, while slippery roads and bad visibility have increased the risk of road accidents.

Thankfully, the Beijing administration had warned the public in advance about the impending risks. After the National Meteorological Center issued a red alert of heavy rain on July 29, the Beijing authorities repeatedly warned the public against possible dangers through SMS, WeChat updates, micro blogs and other means on their smartphones. The municipal government even required all organizations to suspend in-office work unless very necessary on Monday, effectively stopping people from venturing out.

On the one hand, constant information updates tell people that there are dedicated people paying attention to their safety. On the other hand, the updates warn people against going to unsafe places and warn them against venturing out unless necessary.

Beijing is not the biggest victim of the typhoon and floods that came with it. More cities and regions should adopt similar warning systems so as to help keep people safe at such times, as extreme weather events are becoming more frequent than before.