In a sight that would make stomachs churn, dozens of rats were spotted scurrying up and down a small sandy patch of land near Bukit Batok MRT station.
Bukit Batok resident Ryan Keith Smith, 33, was so disgusted by the rodents running wild that he took videos and pictures of the pests and posted them online.
The posts on Facebook, which had been shared about 700 times as of last night, show the rats running up and down a small slope and slipping in and out of holes in the ground.
Mr Smith has also sent an e-mail to the authorities, urging them to take action to protect the safety of residents.
Jurong GRC MP David Ong said that the Housing Board stepped in a few days ago with anti-rodent measures such as traps and rat poison.
"We'll be monitoring the situation every day," he said.
He said that the area experienced a similar infestation a few months ago, and that some residents have been leaving out food for stray dogs in the area.
Mr Smith, a military simulation operator, said he is worried about the infestation growing out of control.
"It might spread to other areas and pose a great health risk to the residents," he said.
When The Straits Times visited Bukit Batok at 9pm yesterday, two rats were spotted scurrying on the same grass patch, and one on the pavement.
Shop assistant Shamira Abdul Aziz, 21, who works at the 7-Eleven store at the MRT station, said she always sees the rats scurrying on the pavement at that time.
"I'm quite worried. I let them go past first, then I'll walk."
Getting rid of the infestation will not be easy, said Origin Exterminators director Carl Baptista.
"To see such a large population tells me that it is a conducive area for the rats to reproduce, and they have a good supply of food," he said.
"It cannot be a spot treatment."
The National Environment Agency said it received 2,490 cases of feedback on rodents across Singapore in the first nine months of this year, compared with 2,496 for all of last year.
