Flooding hits shopping center despite having no rain, shop owners declared ‘we’ve had enough’

SINGAPORE: Persistent flooding occurs at Katong Shopping Centre, with water reaching the wheels of the shelves and causing complaints from shop owners.

Last January, Shin Min Daily News reported that the basement level of the shopping centre experienced overflowing sewage from the drains when there were heavy rains and high tides. The basement level turned into ‘small swimming pools,’ with several shops affected, including restaurants, clothing stores, barbershops, and grocery stores. Moreover, the water had an unbearable stench, which caused further disturbance.

Back then, the grocery store owner admitted, “My shop is closest to the staircase, and it floods when it rains heavily. I have to move the goods placed along the corridor onto chairs.”

“Even if the water recedes, the stench is still there, and it smells like a toilet, which makes it really difficult to endure,” he added.

Recently, the 63-year-old owner of the affected grocery store once again contacted Shin Min Daily News to complain that the front of his store had flooded again. In a video provided by the shop owner, there was at least one centimetre of water in front of the store, and it had submerged the wheels of the shelves.

The shop owner admitted that there had been no heavy rain recently, but the water level rises every time the tide comes in. Once the ditches overflow, flooding occurs. Furthermore, he reported that the water causes the wheels of his shelves to rust, and he had previously spent money to replace them due to the same issue.

“This problem has existed for many years, and we’ve had enough,” the shop owner declared, clearly disappointed that the mall management has yet to fully resolve this issue.

The mall management was contacted by a reporter who wished to know their side of the story regarding this matter. However, the person in charge did not disclose any information and hung up the phone after learning the reporter’s intentions.