Chongqing — At an October 14 press conference, the Chongqing Emergency Management Bureau announced that the city, known for its complex terrain, has built an integrated early warning and emergency response system to tackle increasingly frequent extreme weather.

Since the start of China's 14th Five-Year Plan (2021–2025), Chongqing has focused on three key areas — early warning, response, and transfer — rolling out a series of reforms that local authorities say are already showing results.

For instance, Chongqing’s early warning system now follows a “24-hour forecast, 6-hour assessment, 2-hour alert” model, with rolling updates during severe weather. Thanks to upgraded telecom networks, the city can send 4,500 warning messages per second, ensuring residents are alerted within five to ten minutes—often before disasters strike.

When it comes to emergency response, Chongqing has developed a three-dimensional network. Multiple channels — including an early warning app, television, and radio — ensure broad coverage. During torrential rain on July 8 this year, more than 600,000 residents received warning messages in under two minutes, allowing them to prepare and move to safety. 

Evacuation, or transfer, has also been strengthened. Chongqing now mandates advance relocation for people in at-risk areas, with clearly identified shelters and rehearsed evacuation routes. Over the current planning period, Chongqing has added 22,000 temporary shelters, ensuring complete coverage across rural and mountainous regions.

As a result, officials say the average number of people affected by disasters, as well as the number of deaths and direct economic losses, have dropped by 20%, 65.4%, and 29.8%, respectively, compared with the previous five-year period.

In August 2022, Chongqing's rescue team was deployed to battle mountain wildfires. (Photo/Chongqing Emergency Management Bureau)

Chongqing's system has already been tested by a series of extreme weather events: the record heatwave of 2022, when temperatures exceeded 45°C and strained the power grid; the historic rainstorms of 2023, which triggered flash floods and landslides; and the prolonged heat in 2024, which prompted continuous health and drought alerts.

Authorities said the city's upgraded early warning network played a key role in limiting casualties and damage during those events.

Beyond disaster prevention, Chongqing has also built a multi-tier rescue force. Based on the city's national fire and rescue team, Chongqing has created a municipal professional rescue team, an aviation rescue squad, and 13 specialized units for industries such as hazardous chemicals, mining, and construction.

This network enables air rescues within one hour, ground teams within 30 minutes, and community response within 10 minutes, forming a rapid, citywide rescue capability.

Looking ahead, Chongqing aims to make urban safety and resilience a central goal, strengthening its emergency systems to build a city that's not only safer but also where residents can live with greater peace of mind.