Shoppers report flooding in Tampines Mall after heavy downpour

Shoppers report flooding in Tampines Mall after heavy downpour

SINGAPORE - Shoppers at Tampines Mall reported flooding at the busy shopping centre in the east on Sunday, after a heavy downpour in the afternoon.

Photos posted on social media showed large puddles forming outside shops within the mall, and rain water gushing from a roof in the outdoor area of the mall.

Channel NewsAsia reported that the second and third floors of the mall were flooded, and water was flowing down the staircase of the second level. Shopowners and cleaners were snapped struggling to mop up rainwater that was seeping into the stores.

The National Environment Agency and Public Utilities Board had earlier issued flash flood warnings after heavy thundery showers blanketed parts of Singapore.

Update: 

According to a statement from the mall's marketing communications manager, Ms Sarah Lua, the cause of the seepage on the second and third floors of the mall was due to overflow from the rainwater inlet, which could not cope with the "unsually heavy amount of rainfall".

Said Ms Lua: "There was a sudden heavy downpour of rain in the eastern part of Singapore this afternoon. The unusually heavy amount of rainfall over a short period of time caused rainwater to overflow from our rainwater inlet and some excess water flowed to a small part of the common areas on Levels 2 and 3 of our mall.

"This rainwater inlet helps channel rainwater collected from the roof top of our mall to the external drainage, and could not cope with the excess rainwater.

"At about 3.10 pm, our staff noticed there was an overflow of water at parts of Level 2 of our mall. We immediately cordoned off the affected areas and redirected shoppers away. We mobilised our staff to mop up the floor and put dryers in the common areas. No one was hurt in the incident, although the overflowed rainwater affected several of our tenants.

"Our mall resumed full normal operations at about 4.25 pm after the mall had been entirely cleaned up. We are sorry for the inconvenience caused to our affected tenants and shoppers, and are putting steps in place to prevent a recurrence."

candicec@sph.com.sg

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