Flash floods hit several areas in Singapore

Julia Ng/Wayne Chan Channel NewsAsia 23 Dec 11;

SINGAPORE: Prolonged heavy rain over the southern and central parts of Singapore on Friday afternoon led to flash floods in several areas.

National water agency PUB said that from 2.20pm to 5.20pm, Orchard Road saw a total recorded rainfall of 152.8 millimetres.

However, PUB said there was no flooding at Orchard Road. Instead, water ponded at the open area of Liat Towers, the underpass between Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City, and the basement of Lucky Plaza due to the sustained heavy downpour.

This activated the flood barricades at Liat Towers. But it wasn't enough to stop the water from entering.

Seng Woon Fa, marketing and brand manager at Wendy's Restaurant, said: "The water started coming in at 5pm. By 5.20pm, we started to evacuate all our customers.

"The barricade at the outer level and inner level does not work because the water came in too suddenly and probably there is something wrong with the system... Our daily business will be affected about 60 per cent."

Mr Seng said he will try to resume business as soon as possible once all equipment in the restaurant has been checked after cleaning up and it is safe to switch the power back on.

Elsewhere, flash floods occurred at Cuscaden Road, Newton Circus, Kampong Java, Lincoln Road, Wee Nam Road, Cambridge Road, the junction of Moulmein Road and Thomson Road in front of United Square, and the junction of Bukit Timah and Sixth Avenue.

PUB had sent out alerts to advise motorists to avoid these areas.

Flood waters reportedly reached up to a height of 30 centimetres for some areas and generally subsided within one hour, except at Cambridge Road, Newton Circus and the junction of Moulmein Road and Thomson Road in front of United Square, where waters subsided by 6pm.

One viewer, Lee Siew Cheng, said she was trapped at United Square along flood-hit Thomson Road from 5pm to 6pm. She said she could only get out after the knee-high water subsided an hour later, as taxis did not want to go into the flood-hit area.

PUB said the affected areas are mainly low-lying areas.

Up to eight gates at Marina Barrage were opened to maintain the water level at Marina Reservoir within the normal range. The last time all eight gates were opened was on October 21 this year.

PUB added that Rochor Canal is currently being upgraded to improve the drainage system serving Cambridge Road, Newton Circus and the junction of Moulmein Road and Thomson Road in front of United Square.

The works commenced in October 2011 and are expected to be completed in January 2014.

The Bukit Timah Canal between Wilby Road to Maple Road is being widened and works will be completed by December 2012.

The drains at Wee Nam Road will also be expanded by 2013.

Meanwhile, PUB has advised the public to exercise caution as flash floods may occur in the event of heavy storms.

The public can also call the PUB's 24-hour Call Centre at 1800-2846600 or go to PUB's Facebook Page or PUB's iPhone app iPUBOne to report flash floods or to check on the flood situation.

The public can also get updates on water level information in key canals/drains at PUB's Facebook Page, via Twitter at twitter.com/PUBSingapore, or through PUB's website.

For the latest weather reports, including heavy rain warnings, members of the public can call the National Environment Agency's (NEA) weather forecast hotline at 65427788, visit the NEA website or use the mobile weather service (Weather@SG - weather.nea.gov.sg).

SMS alert services on heavy rain warning and water level information are also open to public subscription at www.pub.gov.sg.

- CNA/ms

No floods in Orchard Rd, just 'ponding': PUB
Ng Jing Yng Today Online 24 Dec 11;

Singapore - As heavy rain pelted down on Orchard Road yesterday, Liat Towers activated its S$200,000 flood barrier system. As an added measure, plastic barriers were also distributed. But they proved no match for the floodwaters, as levels reached knee height and poured into the basement-level shops - reminiscent of the scene in June last year when floodwaters last hit the building. Yesterday, some customers even had to form a chain of chairs to get out from one of the affected stores.

Prolonged heavy rain which fell over a three-hour period over the southern and central parts of Singapore resulted in flash floods at numerous areas. Cuscaden Road, Newton Circus, Kampong Java, Lincoln Road, Wee Nam Road, Cambridge Road, the junction of Moulmein and Thomson roads in front of United Square, and the junction of Bukit Timah Road and Sixth Avenue were affected.

Flood waters reached a height of 30cm in some areas and generally subsided within an hour, except at Cambridge Road, Newton Circus and the Moulmein-Thomson junction in front of United Square, where waters subsided by 6pm, said national water agency PUB. "The affected areas are mainly low-lying areas," it added.

While the total recorded rainfall at Orchard Road was 152.8mm, PUB said "there was no flooding at Orchard Road". "However, water ponded at the open area of Liat Towers, the underpass between Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City, and the basement of Lucky Plaza due to the sustained heavy downpour," it added.

The underpass between Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City remained closed yesterday evening. Some shop owners at the ground floor of Lucky Plaza said that water levels were ankle-high, but the situation this time was better than during previous floods.

At retail store Giordano, store in-charge Lyn Molino estimated losses of up to S$7,000 and said that customers were not only deterred by the wet floors but also by the stench from yesterday's floodwaters. "This is supposed to be a good opportunity for us to have extra earnings but it has all been affected," she said.

The floodwaters also washed out business at Starbucks and fast-food restaurant Wendy's, among other establishments, at Liat Towers. Wendy's manager (marketing and branding) Seng Woon Fa estimated losses of about 60 per cent of the day's earnings. "We are now just busy cleaning up and hope to resume business as soon as possible ... we are still checking if any equipment is spoiled," he said.

Earlier yesterday, before the rain fell, PUB said drains would be widened in some areas next year. Eight of the 10 projects will commence in the first quarter, of which five of will involve expanding roadside drains at flood-prone areas, including parts of Chinatown, roads near Bencoolen Street as well as Arab Street and Rochor Canal Road.

The PUB will also improve drainage in three other non-flood-prone areas: Roads will be raised at Jalan Dusun, Jalan Datoh and Jalan Raja Udang. And drains will be expanded at Shanghai Road, Wee Nam Road, Outram Road and Tiong Bahru Road.

Yesterday, up to eight gates at Marina Barrage were opened to maintain the water level at Marina Reservoir within the normal range. PUB advised the public to exercise caution as flash floods could occur in the event of heavy storms. The public can also call the PUB 24-hour Call Centre at 1800-284-6600 or go to PUB's Facebook page www.facebook.com/PUBSg or on its iPhone app, iPUBOne, to report flash floods or to check on the flood situation.

The public can also get updates on water level information in key canals/drains at PUB's Facebook page, its Twitter account, twitter.com/PUBSingapore, or website, www.pub.gov.sg.

'Pool' at Liat Towers again after heavy rain
Grace Chua & Feng Zengkun Straits Times 24 Dec 11;

CUSTOMERS at the Starbucks outlet in Liat Towers were taken aback by a sudden waterfall yesterday afternoon, in a scene reminiscent of last year's flash floods.

In less than five minutes, water gushed down the steps and into the basement coffee joint, the Wendy's burger outlet next door, as well as the Massimo Dutti clothing store.

Though both automatic and manual flood barriers had been installed, they did not come up in time to stop the waterworks, leaving shoppers to pick their way across chairs laid out as stepping stones, or wade through the knee-deep water

Miss Nur Sadrina Isahak, 19, was with a friend at Starbucks when the flooding began, and snapped a photo for citizen journalism website Stomp.

Said the polytechnic student: 'The Starbucks crew actually used a (secondary) barrier in front of their shop, but that didn't work and water started seeping through.'

She managed to get out when it was shin-deep and still rising.

Yesterday's heavy rain caused 'ponding' at Orchard Road malls and floods in other areas, said national water agency PUB, as people thronged the shopping belt to do their last-minute Christmas shopping.

Liat Towers was the worst-hit, but Lucky Plaza was also inundated.

PUB said the 'ponding' at Liat Towers was caused by prolonged heavy rain which fell directly into the building's open basement area.

'Based on our monitoring, Stamford Canal did not overflow. If it had, it would have resulted in flooding on Orchard Road which was not the case yesterday,' said a spokesman.

'Our officers will work with the management of Liat Towers to investigate further and determine the appropriate additional measures to be taken.'

The water agency added that 152.8mm of rain fell on Orchard Road in the three hours between 2.20pm and 5.20pm.

In June last year, 100mm of rain fell in two hours when Orchard Road was flooded.

Then, both Liat Towers and Lucky Plaza were overwhelmed, with merchandise swept out and away by rising waters.

Yesterday's floods are likely to raise questions over the adequacy of flood-protection measures in the area, such as flood barriers at Liat Towers and the raising of a 1.4km stretch of road from Orange Grove Road to Cairnhill Road.

At the underpass between Lucky Plaza and Ngee Ann City, the water was ankle-deep, with an oily sheen.

Wave after wave of pedestrians walked down the steps to the top of the underpass, only to be turned away when they saw it was cordoned off.

Other areas were also submerged in yesterday's downpour, with water rising as high as 30cm in some places.

Between 4pm and 6pm, Newton Circus, United Square, parts of Bukit Timah, Kampong Java and Lincoln Road were among those hit by flash floods.

Road improvement works in some of these areas had been completed, such as at Lincoln Road.

The PUB had raised a 200m stretch along the road last year by about 50cm, but it said the rain yesterday was still too intense. About 140.8mm fell in the area in the three hours between 2.20pm and 5.20pm.

An ongoing project at the nearby Rochor Canal to reduce flooding in the area will be completed by 2014.

At Wee Nam Road, which was also affected yesterday, ongoing work to expand the area's drains will be completed by 2013.

PUB said most of the flash floods had subsided by 6.30pm.

Along Sixth Avenue in Bukit Timah, water bubbled out of the drains and grates, but shop owners and residents said they were not affected.

Most shops in the area were prepared: They had installed flood protection features such as waterproof floors and raised platforms outside their shops after the floods last year.

Ms Amber Mo, 27, an employee at LED Works along Sixth Avenue, said the shop was flooded last year but spared from yesterday's rains.

'We were all watching the drains in the afternoon but thankfully the water never rose too high,' she said.

At Newton Circus, hawkers at the popular food centre there said that the nearby roads were flooded to about ankle height, a common occurrence during heavy downpours. Traffic was not affected, and the water subsided about half an hour after the rain stopped.

The storm drain between Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road was filled nearly to capacity with muddy brown water, though roads were not submerged.

Low tide yesterday (0.5m) was at 5pm. Up to eight gates at the Marina Barrage were opened to make sure the water level at the Marina Reservoir did not rise too high.

Additional reporting by Lim Yan Liang

Ten major drainage improvement projects scheduled for next year
Channel NewsAsia 23 Dec 11;

SINGAPORE: With more wet weather expected, businesses in flood-prone areas are taking measures to protect their properties.

Businesses do not want a repeat of what happened in Orchard Road in June this year, so several establishments are taking measures to prevent flash floods from affecting them.

Some shopping centres along Orchard Road are installing floodgates ahead of the holiday season to prevent floodwater from seeping into their shops.

This comes as the National Environment Agency warned of a wet Christmas.

For the rest of Singapore, more relief is on the way.

National water agency PUB plans to widen drains in some areas next year. Eight of the 10 projects will commence in the first quarter.

Five of these will involve expanding roadside drains at flood-prone areas, including parts of Chinatown, roads near Bencoolen Street as well as Arab Street and Rochor Canal Road.

The PUB will also improve drainage in three other non-flood prone areas.

Roads including Jalan Dusun near Balestier Road will be raised, and drains near Outram Road and Tiong Bahru road will also be expanded.

PUB will also improve drainage in three other projects at non-flood prone areas at Jalan Dusun, Jalan Datoh and Jalan Raja Udang where roads will be raised. And at Shanghai Road and Wee Nam Road and Outram Road and Tiong Bahru Road, where drains will be expanded.

-CNA/ac/cc

Drainage in 10 areas to be improved
Kezia Toh & Grace Chua Straits Times 24 Dec 11;

THE day flash floods hit several areas, including Orchard Road, national water agency PUB also announced details of 10 new drainage projects that are meant to ease the problem.

Yesterday, it said it would roll out the works in areas both flood-prone and non-flood-prone, with eight projects starting in the first quarter of next year and two in the second quarter.

The projects - nine are expected to be completed by 2013 and the other by 2015 - are part of a bigger plan to upgrade infrastructure to further strengthen flood protection efforts.

Since the 1960s, Singapore has experienced widespread flooding during the monsoon season.

In the last two years, flash floods have wreaked havoc in places like Orchard Road, Little India and Bukit Timah. Yesterday, some of these areas were also hit, despite the agency's completed and ongoing improvement works there.

The PUB, in its statement, said drains will be expanded at flood-prone spots such as Arab Street and Rochor Canal Road. For example, a 1.5m-wide drain in Rochor Road - from Waterloo Street to Bencoolen Street - will be rebuilt into a 2.5m-wide box drain.

Non-flood-prone areas will also get an upgrade. Three roads - Jalan Dusun, Jalan Datoh and Jalan Raja Udang in the Balestier area - will be raised by between 25cm and 40cm.

Drains in Shanghai and Wee Nam roads will be expanded.

Along Shanghai Road in River Valley, the 0.8m-wide drain will be converted into a 1.2m-wide box drain.

To ensure that it is business as usual during the improvement works, PUB said roads and pedestrian pathways will remain accessible.

In cases where temporary footpaths or road diversions are needed, these will be done according to the Land Transport Authority's requirements.

Shop owners and residents will be informed about the project schedules before work starts.

'The improvement works will be carried out in stages and PUB will take appropriate measures to ensure minimal disruption to the businesses, traffic and pedestrians,' said a PUB spokesman.

When the work is completed, PUB will cover up the drains to provide additional space for pedestrian footpaths.

Over the last 30 years, the Government has invested $2 billion in upgrading drainage infrastructure.

PUB continues to spend about $150 million each year improving existing infrastructure in a bid to fend off floods.

Currently, 26 projects are being carried out islandwide, including in Owen Road and Bishan Street 21. Some projects have been completed, such as in Lincoln and Surrey roads, as well as road-raising works in the Orchard Road area.

For companies making floodgates, the flooding incidents have generated more business.

Contracting company Parafoil Design & Engineering, for example, has had 50 to 60 inquiries for floodgates this year.

Four have been installed at malls and condominiums.

Yesterday, a 5m-long floodgate was set up at Forum The Shopping Mall, and a floodgate will be put up at Tanglin Mall next month.