Collaborative efforts to enhance urban flood response: Lessons from Wuhan

This paper explains how the city of Wuhan has implemented a comprehensive disaster resilience strategy that integrates policy formulation, scientific research, and public communication in response to severe floods. Wuhan, a rapidly urbanizing megacity in central China, faces significant flood risks due to its monsoon climate, high-density impermeable surfaces, and low-lying terrain. The city has experienced numerous severe floods throughout its history, and climate change is expected to increase the frequency and intensity of these events, threatening its sustainable development.

The city's strategy includes the adoption of sponge city initiatives, a collaboration between research institutions and universities to enhance flood control strategies and the use of social media platforms for rapid dissemination of flood warnings and public engagement. Despite challenges such as resource constraints and the complexity of urban flood management, Wuhan's multi-stakeholder approach has significantly improved its capacity to mitigate and adapt to rainstorm-induced flooding.