4 hours of rain in western S’pore on Thursday nearly equals July monthly average

SINGAPORE – The amount of rain dumped on western Singapore on Thursday nearly equalled the average rainfall recorded for July, after a heavy downpour that triggered flood risk warnings across the island.

National water agency PUB said on Thursday that 120.2mm of rainfall was logged from 7.40am to 11.30am, corresponding to more than 80 per cent of Singapore’s average monthly rainfall for July.

Flash flood warnings were issued for areas such as Stamford Canal near Lucky Plaza, Braddell MRT station and Sunset Drive.

Thursday’s downpour resulted in a flash flood along a 200m stretch of Dunearn Road near Sime Darby Centre at about 9.25am.

PUB’s Quick Response Team was activated and two traffic lanes were closed temporarily as a precautionary measure.

The agency said: “The road remained passable to traffic, and the flash flood subsided within 15 minutes.”

Floods have been a long-time problem for Bukit Timah residents.

In 2009, the Bukit Timah Canal burst its banks for the first time in years, throwing traffic into chaos and resulting in knee-deep floodwater.

Since 2021, PUB has buffered flood prevention efforts in Dunearn Road by

raising a 450m section of the road

and deepening Bukit Timah Canal.

The interim works were announced after flash floods occurred thrice there in 2021.

That year,

more rain pelted western Singapore in three hours on Aug 24

than previous records for the month of August here. Rainfall on that day was the highest recorded in 2021.

PUB said it is also widening and deepening a 900m section of the canal from Rifle Range Road to Jalan Kampong Chantek as a long-term measure to enhance flood protection.

These works have begun and are expected to be completed by 2026, PUB added.