Flash flood on PIE towards Changi Airport, flood alert issued for Orchard

The PUB had earlier warned that water levels could rise by 100 per cent.
AsiaOne 10 Dec 15;

SINGAPORE - The Public Utilities Board (PUB) has issued a flood alert around Orchard Road, following today's (Dec 10) heavy showers, while a part of the PIE has been hit by flash flood.

In a tweet at 5.28pm, PUB warned that the water levels at canals along Exeter Road and Somerset Road was near 90 per cent, and added that there was a high flood risk.

At 5.44pm, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that there was a flash flood on the Pan Island Expressway (PIE) sliproad towards Changi Airport, before the East Coast Parkway (ECP) expressway, with congestion expected. Traffic is passable.

Flash floods have already occurred at Maxwell, Boon Keng, and Bendemeer, PUB said. Traffic remains passable at Maxwell, the agency added.

Meanwhile, PUB said that there was a high-flood-risk at MacPherson Road and Playfair Road, with water levels above 90 per cent.

A heavy rain alert was issued at 5.16pm by the National Environment Agency, warning of thundery showers with gusty winds expected around most part of the island from 5.20pm to 6.20pm.

Large parts of Singapore was flooded on Dec 5 after heavy rains. Singapore is currently experiencing the northeast monsoon, and short-duration thundery showers are expected mostly in the afternoon and early evening, NEA said in its fortnightly weather forecast early December.

Based on long-term statistics, December is the wettest month in the year, NEA added. The rainfall for the first fortnight of Dec 2015 is likely to be near normal.