Heavy rain prompts flood warnings for large parts of Singapore

Public advised to avoid certain roads; flight, baggage delays at Changi Airport

- Yong Li Xuan and Samuel Devaraj

Heavy rain prompted flood warnings for large parts of Singapore on the morning of May 4, and caused delays at Changi Airport and at the LIV Golf tournament on Sentosa.

At about 10.35am, PUB posted a flood alert on social media platform X that heavy rain was expected over "many areas of Singapore" from 10.35am to 11.20am. It was the latest in a series of posts that began at 6.27am alerting the public about the inclement weather.

The national water agency also urged the public to avoid certain roads such as TPE (Punggol West Flyover) and Jalan Pokok Serunai in Bedok because of heavy rain, and issued flash flood alerts for several areas, including Upper Paya Lebar Service Road (from Lim Teck Boo Road to Rochdale Road) and Craig Road from Duxton Road to Tanjong Pagar Road.

PUB said in a statement at 6.37pm that the heaviest rainfall on May 4-107.2mm - was recorded in western Singapore from 7.30am to 1.30pm. This amount corresponds to 65 per cent of Singapore's average monthly rainfall in May, and is in the top 3 per cent of maximum daily rainfall records since 1978, it added.

At Changi Airport, 27 flights out of Singapore were delayed, while passengers on 24 arriving flights experienced baggage handling disruptions.

In a statement The Sunday Times received at around 5.50pm, Changi Airport Group said issues were resolved after the wet weather subsided.

Mr Reef Singh, 22, said his Scoot flight from Singapore to Sydney had been delayed from 10am to 12.30pm.