SCDF evacuates 5 people after vehicles were stuck in flash floods at Pasir Ris; 1 person taken to hospital
Vehicles seen in high water near Pasir Ris Drive 12. (Photo: Facebook/Dan Chong)
SINGAPORE: At least 13 vehicles were found stationary and partially submerged in water at Pasir Ris after flash floods were reported in Singapore on Friday morning (Aug 20).
One person was also taken to Changi General Hospital for "leg pains", said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF).
SCDF said it received a call for assistance at the junction of Tampines Avenue 10 and Pasir Ris Drive 12 around 7.40am.
“Upon SCDF's arrival, 13 vehicles were found stationary and partially submerged in water,” said SCDF.
Before SCDF arrived at the scene, around 25 people had evacuated from these vehicles.
Five people from four of these vehicles were brought to safety under nearby sheltered areas by SCDF personnel.
Earlier, national water agency PUB warned of flash floods in some parts of Singapore as heavy rain fell across the island.
In a Facebook post at about 8am, PUB said it had deployed officers to help affected motorists after flash floods were reported at the slip roads along Tampines Avenue 10 and Pasir Ris Drive 12 towards the TPE entrance.
The agency said that due to heavy rain, water levels in drains and canals had reached 90 per cent in at least 10 locations, including in Paya Lebar, Toa Payoh and Changi.
PUB urged members of the public to avoid the following areas due to a "risk of flash floods":
- Siang Kuang Avenue (Unit 35)
- Upper Paya Lebar Road
- Lorong Gambir / Gambir Walk
- Puay Hee Avenue / Siak Kew Avenue
- Lorong 2 Toa Payoh (Blk 122)
- Langsat Road / Lor 105 Changi
- Macpherson Road / Playfair Road
- Mount Vernon Road
- Playfair Road OD (Bartley Rd East)
- Jalan Lokam/ Upper Paya Lebar Road
The National Environment Agency said in a tweet that "moderate to heavy thundery showers with gusty wind" are expected to continue over eastern areas of Singapore between 7.50am and 9am.
A passerby, who wanted to be known as Mr Chong, was heading to Tampines on a motorbike when he saw the water levels "getting higher" near Pasir Ris Drive 12.
While he managed to avoid getting stuck in the high water, others were not as fortunate as they "ended up stuck", he said.
PUB INVESTIGATES CAUSE OF FLOOD
NEA said later on Friday that "widespread moderate to heavy rain" fell over the island from 5am, with the heaviest recorded in the central, northern and eastern parts of Singapore.
The highest daily total rainfall recorded as of 1pm on Friday was 112.1mm, 111mm and 107.8mm at Hougang, Choa Chu Kang and Paya Lebar respectively.
This was followed by 105.2mm at Pasir Ris and 103.6mm at Ang Mo Kio.
PUB is also investigating the cause of the flood to find out if any construction works in the area had affected the drains or obstructed the drainage flow of the storm water, it said in a Facebook post on Friday.
The junction of Pasir Ris Drive 12 and Tampines Avenue 10 is not a low-lying area or a flood hot spot, said the agency.
