SINGAPORE – Traffic was backed up on Nicoll Highway for more than three hours on the evening of March 7 after a fallen tree blocked all three lanes of the road leading to the Singapore Sports Hub.

The Land Transport Authority posted on X at 6.45pm that there was an obstacle on Nicoll Highway, towards Guillemard, and after Java Road.

It added that the highway was closed after Java Road.

The Straits Times understands that all three lanes were passable to traffic at around 10pm, after the tree and debris were cleared.

When ST visited the scene at around 7.30pm, traffic was seen being diverted to Beach Road through Java Road.

In photos shared on a Telegram group on traffic news, a large tree near Golden Mile Tower can be seen obstructing traffic.

A fleet of cars and some motorcycles can be seen behind the tree. A few people can also be seen standing near the tree with umbrellas to shelter themselves from the rain.

Chinese-language daily Lianhe Zaobao reported that the fallen tree had hit three cars, including a black private-hire car.

The private-hire driver told Zaobao that he was ferrying a passenger towards Joo Chiat through Nicoll Highway when he suddenly heard a loud sound, before his vehicle was hit by the fallen tree trunk.

He added that both he and his passenger were not injured, but were momentarily stuck in the car until a group of migrant workers helped to clear the branches and trunk so that they could get out.

Additionally, bus operator SBS Transit posted on X at 7.13pm, saying that services 10, 10e, 14, 14e, 16, 70/ 70M, 196 and 196e were being diverted from Nicoll Highway, with three bus stops (80151, 80161 and 80211) being skipped due to a fallen tree.

The incident took place on the evening of American pop star Taylor Swift’s fourth show in Singapore at the National Stadium, which is located at the Sports Hub.

She is slated to perform there twice more, on March 8 and 9. Swift typically comes on stage at around 7.15pm.