SINGAPORE -The Ghim Moh Market and Food Centre, which reopened in March after about a year and a half of renovations, was flooded after a heavy downpour on Saturday (April 9).

Clogged pipes had caused the flooding, the Holland-Bukit Timah Town Council, which manages the centre, told Chinese daily Lianhe Wanbao. It had conducted investigations with the National Environment Agency on Saturday (April 9) and will be sending officers to the centre to investigate further.

Hawkers told Wanbao that the flooding occurred around 1.30pm and lasted for half an hour, and expressed disappointment that this happened so soon after the centre's reopening.

The rain entered through an open space separating the market and food centre and was so heavy that the drains, unable to cope, were overflowing, said one hawker. But as the new floor tiles were rougher than before, no one slipped and hurt themselves, she added.

This is believed to be the first flooding incident at the centre, which reopened on March 1 at Block 20, Ghim Moh Road, with 72 stalls. Upgrades included replacement of tiles, improvements to the toilets and modifications to the roof for better air flow.