As heavy rains yesterday afternoon triggered flash floods in several areas, national water agency PUB said it will step up monitoring of canals while replacing scupper holes to improve drainage in preparation for the coming rainy season.
Flash floods were reported at five locations yesterday - near the Alexandra Road exit of the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE), at Thomson Road towards Kampong Java after the junction of Moulmein Road, along Dunearn Road (junction of Kheam Hock Road), Dunearn Road (near Hillcrest Road), and the Cambridge Road and Tiong Bahru Road junction with Lower Delta Road. Traffic was not affected and the flash floods subsided in about 15 to 20 minutes, a PUB spokesperson said.
Along Balestier Road, interior designer Derrick Tan reported that one of the three road’s lanes was impassable to traffic. “For 20 minutes, the water level just kept rising and cars couldn’t drive in the extreme left lane,” said the 31-year-old.
Over the next three months, PUB said short-duration moderate to heavy thundery showers and occasional gusty winds can be expected due to the start of the North-east monsoon. On average, there are 19 rainy days in November and December, and 15 rainy days in January.
In preparation for the monsoon, PUB has distributed flood advisories to almost 500 residential units and shop-houses in the low-lying areas of Singapore’s central, western and eastern regions. Precautionary measures they could take to protect their belongings have also been issued.
A series of reinforcements will also be taken to minimise flash flooding during this period. To improve drainage, PUB will be replacing 6,000 scupper holes - semi-circular holes located on the side of roads - and drain inlets in flood-prone areas with modified drop inlet chambers to better channel storm water into drains.
Installation of the drop inlet chambers are expected to be completed in September next year.
Inspections at major construction work sites will also be stepped up to check for drainage obstructions and to ensure there will be no discharge of silt water.
To monitor surface drains and ensure smooth flow of water, CCTV cameras will be installed at 56 new locations by the end of the year.
