Smart technology becomes a useful disaster prevention tool! In order for the public to avoid going into flooded underpasses causing accidents and further damages, Hsinchu City Government had set up automatic boom barriers on three underpasses last year spending $3.95 million. When 15cm of water is accumulated in those underpasses, the automatic barriers will close. This year, the City Government listed a $2.56 million budget on setting up more automatic barriers on easily flooded underpasses: Taiyuan and Quanzhongxin Underpasses. 

Mayor Lin Chih-chien stated, besides from setting up automatic barriers on easily flooded underpasses, the City Government also listed a $1 million budget last year, to set up and upgrade disaster prevention monitoring systems with fiber cables on 15 easily flooded places, making surveillances videos and images clearer and more stable.

"Thank you Hsinchu City Government!" Huang Jinhai from Shuiyuan Neighborhood said, he also stated Taiyuan Underpass often floods; there were citizens entering flooded underpasses which were very dangerous, the automatic barriers are very convenient and flexible: it has different alarming functions such as flashing light or closing automatically according to the volumes of water accumulated in the underpass.

Hsinchu City Fire Bureau stated, stable real-time surveillance videos and images together with automatic barriers had successfully improved disaster prevention quality. Last year, Disaster Emergency Operations Center had real-time information on flooded underpasses with automatic barriers, and the center could drop the barriers remotely to stop vehicles entering flooded underpasses.

The Fire Bureau also stated, in order to effectively prevent flooding, the Bureau is consistently monitoring weather conditions; if water volumes reach 5mm in 10 minutes or over 20mm in one hour, the Bureau will sent specialists to prepare by setting up mobile water pumping machines at Quanzhongxin and Taiyuan Underpasses in advance. In addition, the specialists will also go with keys for the water gates nearby, readying to drain off water and reduce an ease flooding conditions.  

Translated by: Kuo Ting-Hsiang