Downpour turns Yishun coffee shop into a wading pool, stalls lose business
TNP
April 16, 2025
A heavy downpour on the afternoon of April 13 triggered flash floods across parts of Singapore, and Yishun was among the worst-hit areas.
One coffee shop along Yishun Street 61 saw water levels rise to ankle height, causing disruption to businesses and diners.
The incident occurred at around 2.25pm, when rainwater started pouring into the coffee shop located below Block 645.
According to Shin Min Daily News, nearby walkways were also inundated, with patrons doing their best to sidestep the floodwaters.
Flooding due to coffee shop's low-lying location
Huang Juan, 45, a drinks stall assistant, told a Shin Min reporter that the coffee shop is situated on a slope, so water from surrounding areas flowed directly into the premises.
"During the heavy rain, the drainage system couldn't cope in time, which led to the water accumulation," she said.
She shared that the coffee shop is prone to temporary flooding during heavy downpours. "It has happened two or three times over the past few years, and this is the first time it's occurred this year."
Videos posted online by a Facebook user show a large pool of muddy yellow water inside the coffee shop, reaching ankle level for some diners. Fortunately, the water didn't enter the stalls.
Water cleared up quickly, but some diners left
Huang Juan shared that the water receded quickly after the rain stopped, and operations were largely unaffected.
However, another stall assistant said some customers left as soon as they saw the flooding. "We lost some business because of this," they added.
A 65-year-old retiree, Mr Wu, shared that when he and his friends walked down from Block 658, they encountered deep floodwaters on the ground - at one point reaching up to their calves. "We saw that the coffee shop was in a bad state, so we took shelter at the back instead."
Next door, a bakery almost fell victim to the downpour, too. Ms Lan Qing, a 65-year-old shop assistant, said water had pooled along the walkway, and the floodwaters nearly reached their shelves.
"Luckily, our shop is slightly elevated, so the floodwaters didn't get in," she noted. "If they had, it would've been disastrous."
