Did the weather keep you home this weekend?
Heavy rainfall from January 10 to 12 affected plans for many Singaporeans, disrupting personal activities and business operations across the city-state.
Here’s a breakdown of what happened amid the downpour:
More than 50 flights were delayed or rescheduled
The severe weather has disrupted air travel, with over 50 Singapore Airlines flights being delayed or rescheduled between January 11 and 12, The Straits Times reported.
With Changi recording the highest rainfall at 255.2 mm over January 10 and 11, surpassing Singapore’s average January rainfall of 222.4 mm, some flights that were supposed to land at Singapore’s Changi and Seletar airports were also diverted to neighbouring airfields due to the heavy rain.
Recreational activities were similarly impacted—Aloha Sea Sports Centre at East Coast Park, which offers classes for sailing, windsurfing, and stand-up paddling, reported 10 cancelled bookings over the weekend.
At least two golfing events on Jan 11—one at Changi Golf Club and one at the Singapore Island Country Club—were also disrupted according to online notices.
Four Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) National League matches on the same day were postponed, another two relocated, and weekend training for hundreds of Junior Rugby Clubs Singapore players was cancelled.
Woe plagued businesses, too, like fishmonger Lian Huat Seafood, which lamented delays to some of its deliveries in a Facebook post on Jan 10.
JuzFish ArtQuatics, a goldfish farm in Sungei Tengah, also closed shop from Jan 10, anticipating low footfall, the owner said to The Straits Times, who gave his name only as Mr Yap.
The prospect of consecutive days of rain is worrying as rainwater is slightly acidic and can harm his crop of some 100 exotic and tropical fish, he said on Jan 11.
If the rain persists for more days, he will have to change the water and lay out a plastic sheet to cover the fish, said Mr Yap.
Damage to infrastructure
Water seepage from the heavy rain caused lift malfunctions at multiple locations.
Residents of Block 454 Choa Chu Kang Avenue 4 had to rely on a single working lift after two lifts were damaged from the heavy rain on January 10.
The following day, the Ang Mo Kio Town Council announced the temporary closure of lifts at Block 547 Serangoon North Avenue 3 due to water ingress.
Flooding occurred along Jalan Seaview on the evening of January 10, as heavy rain coincided with a high tide of 2.8 m, temporarily overwhelming the nearby canal and roadside drains.
“PUB’s Quick Response Teams were deployed to flood-risk locations, including to Jalan Seaview to assist residents. They helped to pump water from flooded roads and distributed flood protection devices to residents,” said PUB.
What’s causing the rain and how to keep safe
The monsoon surge, marked by a sudden spike in wind speeds, is driving cold air southward in the South China Sea, leading to the unseasonably wet weather.
According to the National Environment Agency, temperatures in some areas could drop to 22°C, and the rainy weather is expected to persist until January 13.
A prevailing north-east monsoon and record rainfall contributed to at least three flash floods in the final months of 2024, with the latest occurring on the evening of December 29. Areas such as Dunearn Road, Bukit Timah Road near King Albert Park, and Balmoral Road were affected.
On January 2, the Meteorological Service Singapore issued a La Nina watch, signaling the possibility of more rain in the coming months due to the climate phenomenon.
To keep safe in a flood, PUB, as part of its “Get Flood-wise in a Flash” campaign launched on Nov 20, 2024, posted on Facebook on January 9, advising the public to:
- Follow PUB flood alerts
- Learn how to be flood-ready
- Avoid flooded areas
- Share PUB flood updates
- Help others where possible
- Read our articles about Singaporean startups here.
Feature Image Credit: Alamy
