Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, April 12th Title: When the wind is heard, Beijing takes multiple measures to prevent and respond to strong winds

Xinhua News Agency reporters Tian Chenxu, Yang Shujun, and Ma Xiaodong

From the night of April 11, the howling wind gradually advances from northwest to southeast, blowing all over Beijing. According to the Beijing Meteorological Department, this strong wind is characterized by strong extremes, long duration, wide impact range and strong disastrousness. It will enter the strongest period of wind during the day on the 12th. In order to ensure the daily production and living order in the city and the safety of people's travel, many departments in Beijing have acted and taken multiple measures to prevent and respond to strong winds.

On the afternoon of April 11, staff from Yuyuantan Park in Beijing reinforced the cruise ships that were suspended from sailing and docking. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Yang Shujun

According to the Beijing Municipal Transportation Department, considering the complex terrain of the mountainous areas and the strong winds are prone to cause safety hazards such as falling rocks and falling trees, the first train from the 12th, 221 of 396 mountainous lines in Beijing were suspended, with 61 in the range. The Beijing Suburban Railway S2, Huairou-Miyun Line and Tongmi Line trains were suspended throughout the day on the 12th. At the same time, starting from the first bus on the 12th, 15 sections of ground elevated lines in Beijing were suspended, involving a total of 106 stations and 216 kilometers. The underground section and other lines that do not involve ground elevated lines operate as usual.

On April 11, at the construction site of the childcare land project in Xihongmen Town, Daxing District, Beijing, project personnel demolished the temporary fence. (Photo provided by China Construction Second Bureau Installation Company)

According to the public protection guidelines for strong winds issued by the Beijing Emergency Office, all outdoor construction and entertainment activities should be stopped during the warning period. At the construction site of the childcare land project in Xihongmen Town, Daxing District, Beijing, the project department has stopped all outdoor operations and has compacted the tarpaulin splicing with heavy objects to prevent dust pollution. At the same time, the project department also conducted a comprehensive inspection of the construction site, timely demolished all high-altitude fences, and rectified the problems found during the inspection.

Wang Dongzhuo, chief project engineer of the installation company of China Construction Second Bureau, introduced that the project department has organized a special training on wind prevention and risk aversion, established a 24-hour duty system to ensure that emergencies are handled effectively as soon as possible, and to make every effort to build a solid safety line in extreme weather.

On the 12th, many parks and museums such as the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven Park, and Beihai Park were temporarily closed. They carried out blanking inspections before the strong wind came and took corresponding protective measures. The reporter learned from the Beijing Summer Palace Management Office that the ancient buildings and cultural relics departments of the park have reinforced the doors and windows of the halls in the park, and moved the cultural relics close to the doors and windows in the ancient buildings to a safe location. In addition, the plaques and couplets on the outer eaves of ancient buildings were reinforced, and temporary signs and temporary facilities around the exposed cultural relics were collected.

On April 10, employees of State Grid Beijing Changping Power Supply Company conducted a special patrol of key lines on Wennan Road, Yangfang Town. (Photo provided by State Grid Beijing Branch)

When strong winds come, urban operation guarantee is particularly important. Beijing’s urban management department organized power, gas, heat and other enterprises to strengthen equipment and facilities inspections to prevent heavy winds and secondary disasters such as tree falls, and to ensure safe and stable energy supply.

State Grid Beijing Electric Power Company introduced that during the strong wind warning period, the company arranged more than 4,300 emergency repair personnel, and stationed in the city's districts with 273 sets of medium and low voltage generators. At the same time, a comprehensive emergency rescue team was dispatched to carry emergency equipment and arrived in Yanqing, Changping, Huairou and other areas in advance, and prepared to deal with emergencies at any time.

The Beijing Garden Department strengthened and pruned more than 4,800 risk trees screened out in the early urban tree risk assessment. Emergency forces at the municipal and district levels are on duty all the time, and continue to strengthen inspections and patrols in important parts and key roads, promptly deal with hidden dangers and emergencies, and make every effort to ensure the operation of the city.

The Beijing Meteorological Department introduced that it is expected that the wind will weaken from the night of the 12th to the day of the 13th, with an average wind speed of level 4 to 5, gusts of level 8 to 9, and gusts of level 9 or above in the western and northern regions. After nightfall on the 13th, the wind power weakened significantly, and the impact of the strong wind ended on the afternoon of the 14th.

Beijing Meteorological Department reminds that the public should not go out unless necessary during the strongest period of wind. It is necessary to stay away from billboards, temporary buildings and tall buildings when outside to prevent objects from falling from high altitudes. Beijing Water Affairs Department reminds that during strong winds, strong winds may bring up debris and cause heavy waves, causing the embankment to slip or collapse, and there is a risk of drowning. Citizens are asked to stay away from the river and ensure their own safety.