Heavy rains triggered yet another bout of flash floods yesterday, affecting three parts in central and west Singapore: Jalan Kismis, Toh Tuck Avenue and along the PIE towards Tuas after the Eng Neo Road exit.
Yesterday’s flash floods join the rising incidences of flooding in Singapore that have reportedly climbed by a whopping 200 per cent since 2015, despite the Government spending a hefty S$1.2 billion on flood control. Just this year so far, between January and June 2018, 14 incidences of flash floods have been reported.
More flash-flooding is expected to occur between October, November and December this year. This is despite the Government setting aside over a billion dollars on drain improvement works since 2011. On top of the S$1.2 billion that has already been spent on flood control, the authorities have earmarked another $500 million to upgrade existing drains over the next two to three years.
Several netizens have questioned what the Government is doing to prevent such flash floods besides pumping so much money into flood control. Meanwhile others recalled former Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim’s comments that the Bukit Timah flood in 2009 was a ‘freak’ event that occurs once in 50 years.
Still others poked fun at national water agency PUB’s use of the word “ponding” to describe water-logged areas following the flash floods at Lucky Plaza and Liat Towers back in December 2011, as well:
