BKE road shoulder flooded due to debris clogging drain gratings
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Rainwater had accumulated along a 100m stretch of the BKE road shoulder near Kranji Exit 8.
PHOTO: BEH CHIA LOR - SINGAPORE ROAD/FACEBOOK
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SINGAPORE - A 100m stretch of Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) was flooded on Monday evening because the drain gratings were clogged, said national water agency PUB on Wednesday.
It was found that the grating of the drop-inlet chambers – which are installed beside road kerbs to channel rain water from the road to the drainage system – in that part of the expressway were covered with silt and dead leaves, preventing stormwater from flowing through effectively during heavy rain.
PUB said that it received feedback from the Land Transport Authority (LTA) at around 7.20pm on Monday that rainwater had accumulated along a 100m stretch of the BKE road shoulder near Kranji Exit 8.
It added that traffic on the other lanes remained passable.
Both LTA and PUB promptly mobilised their crews to the location to provide assistance to motorists, said the water agency.
A 17-second video clip of the flooded BKE on social media platform TikTok shows brownish water covering the entire surface of at least one lane of the expressway.
PUB has since worked with the National Environment Agency to clear the chokage.
On Monday, PUB put up 10 alerts about potential flash floods on its Facebook page and Telegram channel, along with two other announcements on heavy rain expected over many areas of Singapore.
The Straits Times reported earlier this month that rainy days were to be expected within the first two weeks of November, with thundery showers on most days.
