Department of Information and Tourism, Taipei City Government

The Taipei Hydraulic Engineering Office (Taipei HEO) stated that it promoted the establishment of flood prevention and resilient communities in Zhongshan District’s Zhulun Village, Zhongzheng District’s Jianguo Village, and Xinyi District’s Xingya Village during 2025. A series of disaster prevention courses and activities helped local residents enhance their capability for self- and mutual-rescue during flooding.

In 2025, the HEO promoted resilient communities and disaster prevention drills in Zhongshan District’s Zhulun Village and Zhongzheng District’s Jianguo Village. Xinyi District’s Xingya Village is expected to be ready by the end of November as well. On July 18, 2025, the Zhulun Village disaster prevention drill was held in the open park in front of Zhulun Village Office. The exercise was supported by the Zhongshan District Office of Taipei City Government, the Songjiang Station of the 3rd Battalion of Taipei City Fire Department, and the Zhulun District Office of Zhongshan District.

On October 19, 2025, the Jianguo Village disaster prevention and response drill was held on the empty lot next to No. 17 Aiguo W. Rd. in Zhongzheng District. The drill was supported by the Zhongzheng District Office of Taipei City Government, the Chengzhong Station of 1st Battalion of Taipei City Fire Department, and the Jianguo Village Office of Zhongzheng District. Disaster prevention partnerships were also signed with local merchants once the disaster prevention drill was completed, or after each drill to recruit more local residents and disaster prevention partners.

The disaster prevention and response drill simulated the imminent arrival of a typhoon with heavy and super heavy rainfall that may lead to flooding in parts of Taipei. Local disaster response teams led by village chiefs were assigned tasks such as emergency readiness. At the same time, disaster prevention specialists also joined the emergency response. Scenarios such as regular disaster mitigation, pre-disaster preparation, in-disaster response, and post-disaster recovery were incorporated into the training. The activity started at the pre-disaster readiness stage. The community disaster response team was mobilized and residents were reminded by the village chief to implement preventive measures.

As the disaster scenario continued to unfold, the installation of waterproof baffles, the operation of floodgates, stacking of sandbags, pumping by water pumps, and access being blocked by fallen street trees were all simulated as part of the emergency response drill. The community disaster prevention team began by clearing away fallen street trees before proceeding to guide the evacuation of local residents and set up emergency shelters, demonstrating how they can work with other emergency response units to mount a swift response. In addition, the drill includes important procedures such as rendering first-aid or guidance during an earthquake. This gave participants a better understanding and more hands-on experience with all the different response measures.

The drills enabled the continuous improvement and review of the disaster prevention capabilities in the community. They also helped familiarize team members and residents with emergency response procedures. People also learned how to coordinate and work with emergency response units to deal with unexpected situations. This not only enhanced the disaster prevention awareness of residents but also ensured that communities can recover and rebuild rapidly after a disaster.

Taipei HEO stated that future efforts will continue to focus on the promotion of community-based flood prevention efforts so that residents can effectively preserve their own life and property during disasters. The flood prevention drills not only demonstrate Taipei City’s accomplishments in disaster prevention. They also strengthen the community disaster prevention mechanism to provide residents with a safer and more resilient living environment.