Heavy rain leaves some shops, hawker stalls waterlogged in Clementi

Those affected by the flood included stallholders at the Block 448 Clementi Market and Food Centre in Clementi Avenue 3 (left). PHOTOS: FACEBOOK/TAN WU MENG/MARY CHAN

SINGAPORE - "Unusually heavy rain" on Tuesday morning (May 1) caused flooding and left some shops and hawker stalls waterlogged in Clementi areas, Jurong GRC MP Tan Wu Meng said in a Facebook post.

He said those affected included stallholders at the Block 448 Clementi Market and Food Centre in Clementi Avenue 3.

The roof there has vents in the roof that were designed for circulation, but ended up allowing rainwater in.

Mr Tan, along with Jurong-Clementi town council officers and Clementi grassroots leaders, also visited hawkers at a coffee shop at Block 449, and another coffee shop at Block 325.

One photo he posted shows rainwater pooling on the floor at the market and food centre.

Water agency PUB had issued a heavy rain alert at 9.38am, quoting the National Environment Agency which said heavy rain was expected over many areas of Singapore from 10.20am to 11.30am.

PUB later issued high flood risk alerts for areas including Tanjong Penjuru and Penjuru Road in the Pioneer area, Clementi Avenue 4 and Commonwealth Avenue West, and Neo Pee Teck Lane and Pasir Panjang Road.

"The rain has subsided and the flooding has abated," wrote Mr Tan. "It was an unusually heavy downpour today, which overwhelmed existing drainage arrangements. But with global warming and climate change, past rainfall patterns may not predict the future."

He said he has asked the town council to work with the shop owners and hawkers to further improve drainage.

Singapore is experiencing inter-monsoon conditions, characterised by warm weather and moderate to heavy thundery showers falling mostly in the afternoon and occasionally extending into the evening.

Thunderstorms during this period are typically more intense due to strong solar heating of land areas.

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