Poor plan results in Wuhan's defeat in its 'decisive fight'

A heavy rainstorm on Wednesday flooded Wuhan.[Photo/IC]

A heavy rainstorm on Wednesday flooded Wuhan, capital of Central China's Hubei province, into Venice, despite the local government's heavy investment in upgrading the city's drainage system. Beijing Times says:

Many might still remember June 2011, when Wuhan was so inundated that people complained it was like living on an island. After that, the authorities invested heavily to strengthen the city's drainage system, and even adopted a three-year plan to "decisively fight flooding".

However, as the recent rainstorm shows, Wuhan has failed to win this "decisive battle".

In order to change the situation for the better, heavy investment and determination are not enough on their own; the government obviously needs a better plan.

There are three main problems to be overcome. First, the drainage system was badly designed and lacks the required capacity to drain heavy rain; second, it has expanded too fast in recent years, which has ruined the local wetlands and ponds that received the channeled water. Third, the city's planners have focused on the city's visible infrastructure, and have not paid enough attention to the city's invisible infrastructure underground.

Wuhan has been selected as one of the first "sponge cities", and a lot of central funds are being invested in the city. That's good news, but the money must be better used.