About 25 shops affected by flooding caused by water-pipe leak in Yishun; clean-up, repairs completed

SINGAPORE – Clean-up and repair works were completed on May 11 after a water-pipe leak in Yishun caused flooding the day before, said national water agency PUB.

In an update on May 11 on its Facebook page, PUB said it also worked with the Nee Soon Town Council to clean up the surrounding areas, which included water and debris removal, drainage clearing and surface cleaning.

“Clean-up works were completed at 8.40am today,” it added.

About 25 shops in the Chong Pang neighbourhood were affected after an underground pipe leaked at 1am on May 10 and led to flooding in the area.

The pipe was located near the junction of Block 101 Yishun Avenue 5 and Sembawang Road.

PUB said it deployed a service crew to isolate the leak and carried out repairs.

“There is no disruption to water supply for homes and businesses in the area,” it said, adding that it was investigating the cause of the leak.

Coordinating Minister for National Security K. Shanmugam, who is also an MP for Nee Soon GRC, told reporters on May 10 that about 25 shops were affected.

He added that officers from the town council had been in the area since 2am.

“The cleaning up has taken some time because a substantive amount of water had come out,” he said.

Some shops have been affected more than others, he added. The owner of a furniture shop, for example, was worried that the products would be unusable if they had got wet and muddy.

“We will work with them and help them,” Mr Shanmugam added.

Mr Koh Chye Ghuan, chairman of Chong Pang City Merchant and Hawker’s Association, told reporters he was notified of the pipe leak at around 1am. Grassroots leaders and the town council were notified immediately.

“Our priority is to help affected shop owners clear their stores so that they can resume their businesses quickly,” he said.

He added that the owner of a coffee shop in Block 101 told him it would be closed in the morning because the water supply was too low.

When The Straits Times arrived at the scene at around 12.50am, water was gushing out from the ground at an outdoor area near Block 101.

The water had spread to the ground floor of the block and neighbouring Block 102 and appeared to affect several stores there.

A photo of the POSB Yishun West branch showed that the lights were turned on within the bank and water had entered its premises.

A resident of Block 101 who declined to be named told ST that residents could not return to their flats because of the flooding. “I have half a mind to just take off my shoes and climb up the stairs.”

The flooding also affected one of two lanes on Sembawang Road, before Yishun Avenue 7.

When ST visited the site again at around 10am, the water had been cleared from the area around Block 101.

Around 10 workers could be seen clearing mud and debris from the ground and moving merchandise from affected stores.

Mr Eric Teo, who has been running hardware shop Fupizat Trading Co in Block 101 for more than 40 years, said he found a lot of water outside and within his store at around 6am to 7am. Several cardboard boxes on the floor within his outlet were soaked.

The 71-year-old said his business for the day would probably be affected as people stay away from the affected area.