Ng Jing Yng Today Online 12 Jul 10;
The Marina Barrage reservoir did help in preventing a bigger disaster during the recent flash floods, said Dr Amy Khor, who was present at yesterday's event in Bukit Gombak.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, said that six out of the seven gates at the barrage were left open to manage the amount of rainfall during the heavy thunderstorms last month.
Dr Khor, also Member of Parliament for Hong Kah GRC, added that since the 1970s, the number of flood-prone areas had been reduced from 3,200 hectares to 66 hectares.
The Government has spent at least $2 billion to improve the drainage system and will continue to review the current system, she said.
As for the impact of climate change on rainfall patterns, Dr Khor said that the Government had undertaken a vulnerability study but rainfall patterns were difficult to predict and there was a need to wait for new inputs on improving forecasting methods. Ng Jing Yng
