The Harbin government has recently launched an initiative to cope with snowstorms, aiming to improve emergency management and response capabilities when blizzards descend upon the city.

There are four levels of emergency response standards.

The fourth level response mechanism will be launched when snow fall reaches to 0.4 cm within 12 hours.

The third level response mechanism will be launched when snow fall reaches to 0.6 cm within 12 hours.

For the second level, snowfall will reach to more than 1 cm within six hours. When the second level of the emergency response system is launched, classes will be suspended in primary and middle schools. Tourist departments should shut down tourist sites according to the circumstances and make public related announcements.

For the first level, snowfall will reach to more than 1.5 cm within six hours. When the first level of the emergency response system is launched, an alert will be given by both the meteorological and communication management departments.

The city management department will take immediate action to clear away snow on roads, and the railway department is urged to announce related information as soon as snowstorms block railways.