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Men helped to move fallen trees off roads when squall swept across S'pore on Sep. 17

The heroes amid the chaos.

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September 18, 2024, 11:33 AM

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Singapore was swept by sudden heavy rains and gusty winds on the night of Sep. 17, wreaking havoc over the country.

Numerous trees fell victim to the storm, with reports of fallen trees at locations such as the National University of Singapore, Mount Faber Park, Jalan Kayu, and East Coast Park.

Amid the chaos, some local heroes emerged to help clear the forsaken trees.

A Mothership reader spotted a group of people moving a fallen tree along Telok Blangah Crescent.

Meanwhile, another group was seen performing a similar act elsewhere in Singapore by a Xiaohongshu user.

Heroes

The Mothership reader described the individuals moving the fallen tree at Telok Blangah Crescent as "heroes" for braving the rain to assist others.

Gif via Mothership reader

According to the reader, they worked together to lift and drag the tree aside, clearing one lane for vehicles to pass.

They also alerted a car driver who nearly collided with the tree, allowing him to stop in time.

Gif via Mothership reader

The reader expressed gratitude for such acts of kindness, noting, "I was so grateful there are always kind people, and the act of kampung spirit is still around."

More heroes

Another group’s heroic efforts were captured on video and shared on Xiaohongshu.

SL我是大牛啊/Xiaohongshu

Heading towards the Central Business District, the user noticed several fallen trees blocking the road.

A group of men, seemingly workers, were observed clearing the trees and directing traffic to ensure vehicles could pass through.

The user was "moved" by their actions but noted that "impatient honking" from a vehicle behind was "unnecessary".

Wet weather incoming

The storm landed at about 7pm on Sep. 17 and took 45 minutes to pass over Singapore as it moved from west to east.

Almost the whole of Singapore received the storm's heaviest rainfall as it moved across the island.

In a Sep. 16 media advisory, the Meteorological Service Singapore said Sumatra squalls may bring widespread thundery showers and gusty winds during the pre-dawn hours and morning on a few days in the second fortnight of September 2024.

The Sumatra Squall is a line of thunderstorms that develops over Sumatra, Indonesia, and moves over the Straits of Malacca, leading to heavy rain and strong winds in Singapore and Malaysia.

A squall brings gusty winds at speeds of up to 80km/h and heavy downpour that can last for one to two hours.

More rainfall is also forecast towards the last week of the month, with thundery showers expected on most afternoons.

Thanks to the wet weather, daily temperatures may range between 23°C and 32°C on a few days in the second half of the month.

Top photos from Mothership reader and SL我是大牛啊/Xiaohongshu

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