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Flash Floods Hit West Singapore After Record-Breaking Rainfall on December 4

 




Flash floods impacted several areas in the west of Singapore on the afternoon of December 4, following a period of intense thundery showers that affected many parts of the island. The national water agency, PUB, detailed the affected locations in a Facebook post, attributing the flash floods to the intense rain temporarily overwhelming the capacity of the surrounding drains and canals.

The areas confirmed by PUB to have experienced flash floods include:

  • Pandan Road

  • Boon Lay Avenue (specifically the stretch between Jalan Boon Lay and Boon Lay Drive)

  • The junction of Boon Lay Way and Corporation Road

  • Pesawat Drive (before Jurong Port Road)

The National Environment Agency had previously forecast heavy rain across numerous areas of the island, expected between 2:40 PM and 3:45 PM. However, the actual rainfall recorded in the affected western region was exceptionally heavy.

PUB reported that the heaviest rainfall measured 113.4mm, which was recorded in western Singapore during a period spanning from 1:45 PM to 3:25 PM. The agency underscored the severity of this amount, noting that 113.4mm corresponds to 36 per cent of Singapore’s average monthly rainfall typically seen in December. Furthermore, this specific rainfall amount falls within the top 2 per cent of maximum daily rainfall records for Singapore since 1978, indicating a truly extraordinary weather event.

In response to the flash floods, PUB activated its Quick Response Team. These teams were deployed immediately to the affected areas. Their responsibilities included directing traffic away from flooded lanes to maintain public order and assisting motorists who encountered difficulty navigating the flooded road conditions.

Before the flash floods occurred, PUB had utilized the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to issue prior warnings. The warnings advised the public to avoid specific roads in the south, south-west, and west of Singapore due to the heightened risk of flash floods.

The roads that PUB had advised the public to avoid due to the risk of flash floods included:

  • The junction of Clementi Road and West Coast Road

  • Craig Road, covering the stretch from Duxton Road to Tanjong Pagar Road

  • The junction of Neo Pee Teck Lane and Pasir Panjang Road

  • The junction of Boon Lay Way and Corporation Road

  • The stretch from Corporation Road to Jurong West Street 51

  • Enterprise Road, spanning from Wan Lee Road to Jalan Boon Lay

  • Jalan Boon Lay, from Enterprise Road to International Road

  • The junction of Chin Bee Road and International Road

  • The junction of Jalan Tukang and Chin Bee Road

The severe weather aligns with predictions made earlier in the month by the Meteorological Service Singapore. On December 1, the service had forecasted that thundery showers and rain were generally expected in the afternoon across the island for the initial two weeks of December. However, the intensity recorded on December 4 was far above the average, overwhelming the water drainage infrastructure in multiple locations in the western part of the country. This incident serves as a crucial reminder of the impact of climate change and extreme weather events on urban infrastructure and the importance of timely public advisories from agencies like the National Environment Agency and PUB.

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Location: Singapore

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