Janice Lim Channel NewsAsia 13 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE: Heavy rain fell over many parts of Singapore on Thursday (Nov 13) afternoon, causing flash floods in several areas, including Yishun Avenue 2 and Avenue 5, Macpherson Road, Lorong Ong Lye and Lorong Gambir. National water agency PUB said the floods subsided in less than half an hour.
There was also mild flooding at Sembawang Shopping Centre. The mall's Assistant Centre Manager, Mr Adrian Lai, said in a statement that the heavy rainfall over a short period of time caused rainwater to overflow from a floor trap in a service area on Level 1 of the mall.
"This floor trap helps channel rainwater collected in the Splash Park on Level 3 of our mall to the external drainage, and could not cope with the excess rainwater," he said.
Mr Lai added that mall security noticed an overflow of water measuring less than one centimetre at about 4.50pm. "We immediately redirected shoppers away from the affected areas, mobilised our staff to mop up the floor and put dryers in the common areas," he said. The mall resumed normal operations at 6:30pm, after it was cleaned up.
Daiso, which was just beside the service area, was worst-hit. Security officer, Mdm Kwong Ai Gek said the store was flooded when she arrived at 4.50pm.
Ms Joanne Tan, who is in charge of the Esprit outlet nearby, said floodwaters entered the shop around 5pm. By 6.30pm, much of the area was cleaned and none of Esprit's goods were affected.
B&B Furnishing Centre, which is located just beside Daiso saw its carpets soaked. The mall's management has provided them a blow dryer.
Mr Tan sent in video of the clean-up. "When the rain started, water started flowing in. I was shopping and was wondering: Why is there so much water?" he said.
He said the flood water subsided by 6pm.
Several Facebook users sent Channel NewsAsia photos of fallen trees in northern Singapore.
Muhd Easera shared pictures of a large tree that blocked a bus.
Tan Wei Yu sent photographs of an uprooted tree near a playground at Woodlands Drive 40.
Kelvin Yanto Ong spied a fallen tree at Woodlands Circle as well.
A Meteorological Service Singapore spokesman said the highest rainfall in Singapore as of 6pm on Thursday was recorded in the Yishun area, at 92.4mm.
The highest daily rainfall total recorded this month was last Saturday, with 160.8mm of rain at Ulu Pandan.
Heavy rainfall leads to flash floods in several areas
Straits Times 13 Nov 14;
PUB followed up with a series of tweets about more flash floods at MacPherson/Harvey Roads (pictured) as well as Lorongs Ong Lye and Gambir. -- PHOTO: PUB SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE - The heavy rainfall this afternoon has resulted in flash floods in various areas across the island.
The Land Transport Authority tweeted about a flash flood at Yishun Ave 5 at about 5pm. PUB followed up with a series of tweets about more flash floods at MacPherson/Harvey Roads as well as Lorongs Ong Lye and Gambir.
Within 20 minutes the flash floods had subsided at the latter locations. But PUB's tweets at 5.18pm warned of high flood risk at Ang Mo Kio Ave 3/Mayflower Avenue.
- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/heavy-rainfall-leads-flash-floods-several-areas-20141113#sthash.eryGGOf8.dpuf
