Flash floods take 'waterfront dining' to new levels at Tengah mall and Clementi eatery
A heavy downpour on the afternoon of Dec 4 triggered flash floods across parts of Singapore.
Stomper Skai was having his late lunch at Lau Wang Claypot Delights at Plantation Plaza Tengah, when he noticed the water level rising on the ground.
"I was informed by one of the staff that this flooding issue has occurred many times before.
"They have already raised complaints with the management of Plantation Plaza, but the problem has yet to be resolved," Skai said.
"The flooding happens during heavy rain, likely due to poor design of the water drainage system," he added. "I'm not sure when this issue first began, but this is the first time I have personally witnessed it," he added.
The incident allegedly affected several shops on the second level of the mall, including Lau Wang Claypot Delights and nearby beauty shops.
Skai told Stomp: "It is disappointing that a mall that has been open for more than a year still has such major issues that remain unfixed.
"I felt very sorry for the staff who had to keep sweeping water out of the shops. Their shoes and socks were soaked, and I could empathise with the discomfort of having to wear wet socks until the end of the day.
"I'm not sure how many staff developed blisters after sweeping for about 45 minutes. I left after my late lunch, so I'm not sure what happened after."
The flash flood also affected parts of the first level of the mall, where a photo gallery exhibition was taking place, although Skai noted that it was "definitely not as bad as the shops on Level 2".
Meanwhile, Stomper Chen was having lunch at Fong Seng Nasi Lemak at 22 Clementi Road when he noticed the water level rising above ankle height.
The eatery sits by the roadside and was also affected by the heavy downpour.
Chen said restaurant staff were joking about the flood: "They were all very happy shouting, 'Flood lai lo!' 🤣"
Other diners were taking videos as well, he added.
According to the Meteorological Service Singapore, moderate to heavy thundery showers can be expected over parts of Singapore on most afternoons in the first two weeks of December.
The rain may extend into the evenings on a few of these days, with temperatures mostly hovering between 24 deg C and 33 deg C.
