Intercity connectivity enhances urban mobility resilience to extreme rainfall

This article investigates how intercity connectivity influences urban mobility resilience during extreme rainfall events, drawing on mobility data from more than 1.1 billion mobile devices across 366 cities in China between 2013 and 2023. Extreme rainfall is becoming more frequent and disruptive under climate change, increasing the need to understand how cities can better withstand and recover from shocks.

The study shows that cities with stronger connections to other urban centres experience faster recovery, shorter disruption periods and lower overall mobility losses during extreme rainfall. It also finds that improved transport and socioeconomic connectivity could substantially reduce future disruption and associated economic losses, with particularly large benefits for smaller and less affluent cities. The findings highlight the importance of considering regional urban networks, alongside local preparedness and infrastructure, when strengthening resilience to climate-related hazards and informing long-term urban planning and investment strategies.