PUB working to alleviate Upper Paya Lebar floods

Judith Tan, Straits Times 7 Apr 09;

MORE holes are being drilled along Upper Paya Lebar Road following flash floods that swamped the area at the weekend.

Roadside drains, which connect to the main drains at the junction of Upper Paya Lebar Road and Lim Teck Boo Road, will also be enlarged.

These interim moves will help ease the flow of water in the area. The PUB, the national water agency, said the work 'would be completed within a week or so'.

The downpour, which started early Sunday afternoon, caused the worst flooding that residents in the area had experienced in the past 10 years.

A National Environment Agency (NEA) spokesman said the highest rainfall recorded on Sunday was 97.6mm - more than 50 per cent of the monthly average rainfall in April.

Retiree Walter Lee, 72, said: 'The flood was thigh-high. My missus and I stayed inside and 'sandbagged' the door with thick rags to stop the water from seeping in. This morning, I couldn't start my car, which was parked in front.'

Mr Kek Khian Guan e-mailed photos of the extent of damage to Stomp.

He said his family was 'standing by for another such occurrence when we saw the heavy rain' yesterday.

'Whenever it floods, the toilets eject waste, flooding the backyard and the kitchen,' he said.

Even as the work was being carried out yesterday, the rain did not let up, bringing another 81mm of rainfall.

'This was the highest rainfall recorded at Kelantan Road,' the NEA spokesman said.

Water levels rose in the areas around Jalan Besar, where Kelantan Road is located.

Retiree Harry Lingam, 60, said businesses along Hindoo Road and Veerasamy Road were affected.

'The owners of the shops spent the afternoon moving all their furniture and stoves to the back lane as water levels got higher and higher,' he said.

Mr Jeremy Hiah, owner of Your Mother Gallery along Hindoo Road, told The Straits Times that flooding was a regular occurrence whenever it rained.

'The area is low-lying. No matter how much drainage work is carried out, it would always remain wet. Those of us living and working here call this area 'Venice of Singapore',' he said.

And the rain is not going to dissipate any time soon.

The fortnightly weather outlook on the NEA website predicted moderate to heavy showers with thunder in the late morning and afternoon for the next six to seven days.

There will also be widespread showers with thunder and occasional gusty winds for a few days in the predawn hours and morning.

Sunday's rainfall accounted for over half of monthly average in April
Channel NewsAsia 6 Apr 09;

SINGAPORE: The highest rainfall recorded during Sunday's heavy rains was 97.6mm, more than 50 per cent of the monthly average rainfall in April alone.

According to national water agency, PUB, this is not unusual during the inter-monsoon season.

However, the intense rain resulted in localised flooding in some parts of Singapore. PUB said it is investigating the cause of the flash floods.

As an interim measure to alleviate the situation at Paya Lebar, PUB said it is working closely with relevant agencies to improve the drainage in the area.

Additional drainage openings will be created along Upper Paya Lebar Road to ease the flow of water. The connection from the roadside drain to the main drain at the junction of Upper Paya Lebar Road and Lim Teck Boo Road will also be enlarged.

PUB said these drainage improvement works are expected to be completed within a week or so.

The agency has advised shop owners and residents in low-lying areas to take precautions to protect their belongings by storing them on higher levels, or placing sandbags at entrances to block floodwaters.

Members of the public can obtain the latest weather reports, including heavy rain warnings, by calling NEA's weather forecast hotline at 6542-7788, or visiting its website at www.nea.gov.sg.

The public can also call PUB-One at 1800-284-6600 to report obstructions in drains or to check the flood situation. - CNA/vm