If you haven’t got the memo yet, the last two weeks of November are expected to be wet.
Now, rain is something that we’re already pretty used to, given that the first two months of November weren’t exactly dry.
But flash floods?
That, unfortunately, is what some residents in Singapore had to deal with.
Well, not if PUB has anything to say about it.
Everything About PUB’s New Flood Response Vehicles That Can Stop More Flash Floods from Occurring
This is PUB’s latest addition to its anti-flash flood arsenal.
There are 13 of them, currently, and these bad boys can drive through 70cm high floodwaters and are equipped with flood protection equipment.
This includes portable flood barriers and inflatable flood bags to provide some last-minute protection against flash floods.
Faster Response Time
I know what you’re thinking, Okay, a shiny new toy, how can it help prevent flash floods?
The danger of flash floods, or any flood in general, actually, is how fast it can occur before people can react.
And these vehicles will bump up PUB’s response time to flash floods, either before they happened, or while they’re happening.
The vehicles are equipped with features such as a GPS tracker and camera.
Information such as flood conditions and the vehicle’s location will also be sent back to the PUB’s Joint Operation Centre (JOC) in real-time.
This allows officers at the JOC to deploy and monitor the vehicles remotely.
With real-time information, officers at the JOC will also be able to make better decisions on whether more vehicles or manpower needs to be deployed to the site.
Other Measures
New vehicles aren’t the only things PUB is preparing for the northeast monsoon season which, typically, takes place from December to March.
PUB has also increased the number of X-band radars to six, resulting in a “more robust monitoring network” with greater coverage and accuracy.
This will allow PUB to issue public alerts and deploy its resources quicker.
The agency has also expanded a real-time monitoring system for reservoir and drainage operations.
PUB also opened a new Telegram channel, aptly named PUB flood alerts, last week which you can find here.
It provides heavy rain updates, potential flood risk locations and information on flash floods areas; in short, useful information.
As of the time of writing, the channel has 11,584 subscribers.
PUB urges building owners to shore up on flood protection measures and suggests that drainage systems should be checked for clogs.
One viable trial that has borne fruit is the automated flood barrier.
After water levels subside, the barrier will lower into the ground automatically.
The trial was carried out at a condominium at Fortune Road.
Read Also:
- Last 2 Weeks of Nov Will Still Be Rainy, Especially During the Afternoon
- PUB Creates Flood Alert Telegram Channel to Warn About Potential Floods
- Johor Chief Minister Claims Land VTL Between JB & S’pore to Start on 29 Nov for Pass Holders
Feature Image: PUB