21 trees topple over at Pasir Ris Park

Straits Times 24 Apr 12;

The trees, some as tall as seven storeys, toppled over near Carpark C of Pasir Ris Park on Sunday night. Nobody was hurt and no property was damaged. The cause of the incident is being investigated. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN

TWENTY-ONE trees, some as tall as seven storeys, toppled over near Carpark C of Pasir Ris Park on Sunday night.

The National Parks Board (NParks) was notified of the damage at 7am yesterday, and it set about removing those causing obstruction. It will take a few more days to clear the debris, it said.

Its spokesman said the cause of the incident is being investigated, and would not be drawn into speculating what caused that many trees to fall at one go.

Nobody was hurt and no property was damaged.

NParks general manager Chia Seng Jiang said the stepped-up programme to inspect and prune mature trees, especially those in high-traffic areas, has reduced the percentage of trees affected by storms to 0.1 per cent in the last few years.

Nature Society president Shawn Lum said he suspects Sumatra squalls to have caused the trees to topple.

The Meteorological Service here defines such squalls as eastward-moving lines of thunderstorms bringing heavy rain and gusty winds of 40kmh to 80kmh.

These squalls happen regularly during the inter-monsoon period from April to October.

Mr Lum said there have been intermittent squalls in the last few weeks, so it is not surprising the trees toppled over - 'though it is sad for the trees and tree lovers, of course'.

In March last year, hundreds of trees off Mandai Road fell over in a storm; a few weeks ago, trees in Warrick Road near Alexandra Road were also damaged in what may have been another squall.

LESLIE KAY LIM