Bukit Batok & CCK Flooded Yesterday, Creating Teh River Outside BBDC

Fifty years have passed since the last flood.

And yesterday, floods occurred again and given that I was in Bukit Batok during the fateful period, let me relate some of my personal experience first.

Firstly, I hope my boss’s reading this ‘coz I was in Bukit Batok as I was in our office. Secondly, I honestly wasn’t there to catch up on the latest season of House of Cards, because Singtel’s providing free data, remember?

At about 5:00 p.m., after finishing the last episode of House of Cards finishing my work, thunders were roaring almost every few seconds. I kid you now, it was every few seconds.

I went to my boss’s room, peed on his chair and looked out the window: it was raining so heavily, trees were threatening to be uprooted.

In my mind, I thought there would be flash floods somewhere in Singapore. So I left at 6:00 p.m. instead.

Surprise, surprise: it was mere Bukit Batok and Chua Chu Kang that suffered the wrath of the rain God.

Flash Floods That Look Like Teh

In this once-every-fifty-year event, the flood is so bad that it caused the entire road outside BBDC to be submerged in milk tea.

No need to worry that blur learner drivers would drive out and panic: in BBDC, the last practical lesson ends at 3:00 p.m.

According to PUB, the crazy rain occurred between 4:40 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. (that’s in Bukit Panjang, but Bukit Panjang is rather close to Bukit Batok and CCK).

Here are more images of milk tea.

Image: Facebook (Ian Chung)
Image: Facebook (SG Road Vigilante)
Image: Facebook (SG Road Vigilante)

The flash floods are so thirsty, they contribute to about 40% of the average monthly rainfall in November.

PUB has also sent officers to the area to investigate and assist.

Here’s their post in full:

I mean, thank God it happened from 4:40 p.m. Imagine it happening from 2:40 p.m.: can you imagine the number of learner cars that are going back to BBDC? Even qualified driver would panic at sailing on a road, not to mention learner driver.

Now, if you’re a L-plate driver, don’t be too happy yet: the first half of November is going to be wet, so another fifty years might just pass in the next few days. #justsaying

What to Do When You’re Driving in a Flooded Area

But if you’re unlucky enough, here are some tips for you:

  • If possible, don’t drive into the flooded area or find an alternate route.
  • Go very, very slow: just remember that if you go fast, you’ll be swimming so ensure you’re going the slowest you can
  • Keep the RPM high: if you’re driving manual, stay at Gear 1. The idea is to prevent water from getting into your exhaust pipe
  • Slowly move to a higher point on the road. There is always a higher point: just look for it
  • Once you’re safe, gently tap on the brake repeatedly to dry it

Of course, one more tip from Goody Feed: if you’re thirsty and love bubble tea, don’t drink the teh-lookalike water. It’s not teh.