Flash Flood

I finally understand the meaning of 'flash flood'. Yesterday, there was a sudden huge downpour during lunch. And within just half an hour, the huge canal in between Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road filled up almost to the brim. And it overflowed at the lower lying areas. Right next to the clinic.

We watched as the main road became almost impassable to traffic. There was a major jam right outside the door. Apparently the waters were knee high at some parts of the flood. And we had some cancellations of appointments.

Then as suddenly as the water levels rose, once the rain petered out, the water levels dropped, and the road became passable once again. It must have been quite a deluge to actually overwhelm the canal system. I was a little worried that I may not be able to leave the clinic at all. By the end of the day, everything seemed back to normal except for a few stalled cars at the roadside.

The flood was all over the papers today. The photos were quite stunning. It reminded me of the times before the canal was widened, when Bukit Timah Road used to flood quite a bit. We always had to avoid that stretch of road whenever it rained heavily. I hope yesterday's flash flood is just a one time thing.