Singapore: MRT worksite drain blockage caused Upper Thomson flash flood

LTA has decided to get its contractor to enhance the temporary diversion drain.

Singapore: SCDF rescues 11 people in flash flood
A view of Singapore's business district from an office building in Singapore Reuters

Singapore Land Transport Authority (LTA) and PUB said on Friday that the severe flash flood in the area near the future Upper Thomson MRT station was caused due to a blocked drain at the worksite after heavy rainfall on Christmas Eve.

The authorities told Channel NewsAsia that PUB was jointly working with LTA to upgrade a drain along Upper Thomson Road as part of work to build Upper Thomson MRT Station.

PUB said that it found "a localised constriction at a temporary diversion drain within the LTA worksite". The agencies added that LTA has decided to get its contractor to enhance the temporary diversion drain.

The flash floods affected several areas of the city state and several accidents also took place in different parts of the country. Reports said that even the trains were not spared and pictures of water logging inside the train were seen doing the rounds on the social media.

Pedestrians were seen crossing through ankle-deep water on Orchard Road at the junction outside Heeren. There were also reports of heavy traffic jams across the nation.

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