SINGAPORE - Pest busters were out in Bukit Batok on Thursday to catch rodents after a video showing a rat colony next to the MRT station had gone viral.

Pest control officers were seen anchoring ropes to the side of the hill and climbing up to inspect rat burrows at the top.

"First, we will carry out surveillance and also treat the burrows to eliminate the rats," said Star Pest Control general manager Bernard Chan, adding that the burrows are spread out across the top of the hill across an area half the size of a football field.

He said this could take three to five days to work, or longer depending on whether the rats take the bait. Bait containing rat poison is placed outside the burrows.

Separately, his 22-man team will also be carrying out a "search and destroy mission" using nets and other rat-catching equipment this evening, which is when the rats usually emerge to look for food.

The video had shown dozens of rodents running up and down a small slope and slipping in and out of holes in the ground.