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Jul 19, 2010
Are current flood prevention measures effective?
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WHILE I agree with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ('PM: Don't expect flood-free Singapore'; June 28) that Singapore's tropical climate makes it prone to flash floods, it is not a minor inconvenience that we can afford to put up with.
Floods are not only costly and disruptive to businesses, but could also result in serious accidents for both vehicles and commuters.
In addition to the floods that hit the Orchard area last month and last week, we seem to have had a recurring issue with floods over the past few years:
December 2006: Continuous and intense rainfall resulted in localised flooding in several parts of Singapore, especially in the areas of Joan and Olive roads.
November 2009: Heavy rain caused serious flooding in some parts of Singapore. The volume of rainfall was apparently enough to fill 115 Olympic-size pools. The situation was especially severe in Bukit Timah, where at one point, the flood waters reached knee level and up to the car windows of passing vehicles.
Clearly, we cannot claim that the recent floods were unexpected and that we were caught 'off guard'. As a country that strives to be a world-class city, our urban planning authorities need to buck up. Imagine how Singapore would appear if floods took place during international events such as the International Monetary Fund meetings and the upcoming Youth Olympics?
Flash floods are likely to happen again and this begs the question: Are our current drainage systems and flood alleviation measures truly effective, especially during monsoon downpours? What kind of measures are in place to prevent similar flash floods?
The Government needs to show more concrete evidence of improvement and accountability. For the businesses that have suffered substantial losses and those of us who have been inconvenienced, the rhetoric 'ongoing improvement' does not hold water.
Linda Loh (Miss)
Are current flood prevention measures effective?
<!-- by line --><!-- end by line -->
<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
WHILE I agree with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ('PM: Don't expect flood-free Singapore'; June 28) that Singapore's tropical climate makes it prone to flash floods, it is not a minor inconvenience that we can afford to put up with.
Floods are not only costly and disruptive to businesses, but could also result in serious accidents for both vehicles and commuters.
In addition to the floods that hit the Orchard area last month and last week, we seem to have had a recurring issue with floods over the past few years:
December 2006: Continuous and intense rainfall resulted in localised flooding in several parts of Singapore, especially in the areas of Joan and Olive roads.
November 2009: Heavy rain caused serious flooding in some parts of Singapore. The volume of rainfall was apparently enough to fill 115 Olympic-size pools. The situation was especially severe in Bukit Timah, where at one point, the flood waters reached knee level and up to the car windows of passing vehicles.
Clearly, we cannot claim that the recent floods were unexpected and that we were caught 'off guard'. As a country that strives to be a world-class city, our urban planning authorities need to buck up. Imagine how Singapore would appear if floods took place during international events such as the International Monetary Fund meetings and the upcoming Youth Olympics?
Flash floods are likely to happen again and this begs the question: Are our current drainage systems and flood alleviation measures truly effective, especially during monsoon downpours? What kind of measures are in place to prevent similar flash floods?
The Government needs to show more concrete evidence of improvement and accountability. For the businesses that have suffered substantial losses and those of us who have been inconvenienced, the rhetoric 'ongoing improvement' does not hold water.
Linda Loh (Miss)
