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Day of heavy rainfall in S'pore on Oct. 14, 2024 among the highest since 1978
Very wet.
October 15, 2024, 12:44 PM
Singapore experienced heavy rainfall on Oct. 14, 2024, which started around midnight and continued well into the afternoon.
According to PUB, 134.8mm of rainfall was recorded in western Singapore from 8:15am to 1:50pm, which is among the highest recorded in over 40 years.
This corresponds to 80 per cent of Singapore's average monthly rainfall in October and is within the top one per cent of maximum daily rainfall records since 1978.
Downpour
Singapore saw prolonged heavy rain over many areas on the morning of Oct. 14.
PUB issued flood risk warnings for 15 locations across the island, including Duneran Road in Bukit Timah, Sunset Way estate, parts of Bedok, and Jalan Seaview.
The public was advised to avoid those areas.
The roads in those locations remained passable to traffic.
Due to high water levels in the adjacent drains and Bukit Timah Canal, the pedestrian sidewalks and bus stops along Dunearn Road were flooded.
However, PUB stated the floodwaters subsided within 20 minutes.
The extent
Several TikTok videos captured the Bukit Timah area submerged in murky waters.
The road markings on all lanes could not be seen due to the knee-deep waters at times.
Pedestrians had to stand on the benches at the bus stop.
Buses and cars were also partially submerged but still moving through the waters.
A video, shot from inside a public bus that pulled up at the bus stop, showed the surroundings flooded. Water was seen entering the inside of the bus.
Dunearn Road, which surrounds the Bukit Timah canal, is historically prone to flooding.
In 2021, a 450m portion of Dunearn Road underwent road raising works.
It was an interim measure before the ongoing drainage improvement project to widen and deepen a 900m section of the Bukit Timah Canal.
The project is expected to be completed in 2026.
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Top photos via TikTok & James Fong
