Update 30 Sep 2023: Termite-infested tree falls near playground in Woodlands, no one injured
Sembawang Town Council was informed of the incident just after 9.20pm on Friday night.
PHOTO: Shin Min Daily News
Admiralty residents celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival got a scare when a tree fell near a playground on Friday night. There were no reported injuries.
Sembawang GRC MP Poh Li San told The Straits Times that the Sembawang Town Council was informed of the incident just after 9.20pm on Friday night.
Ms Poh said the tree had signs of internal decay and a termite infestation, according to an arborist who checked the fallen tree.
Fallen tree at Tiong Bahru Road snarls traffic, crushes car and damages sheltered walkway
A photo taken of the fallen tree at Tiong Bahru Road which damaged the nearby sheltered walkway
A large tree fell across Tiong Bahru Road on Friday (March 3) evening, snarling traffic and damaging a sheltered walkway.
A video taken by CNA reader Dorothea Wong showed a line of SBS Transit buses waiting behind the fallen tree. The 28-year-old said the incident happened at about 5.30pm.
"It was a super loud sound. I jumped and thought to myself it must have been a car crash. But when I stood to my feet and looked out of the window, I was stunned to see that a tree had fallen across the two-way street."
3 people taken to hospital after tree falls in Ghim Moh
SCDF firefighters – together with Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team rescuers – commenced rescue after ensuring the stability of the fallen tree. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
A large tree in the compound of Ulu Pandan Community Club in Ghim Moh Road fell and trapped two people on Saturday evening (Aug 20).
A third person was found injured near the tree.
They were conscious and in a stable condition when they were taken to the National University Hospital, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). It was alerted to the incident at around 5.55pm.
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Tree Near Sim Lim Tower Collapses & Pins Vehicles, Driver Trapped In Truck Rescued
Motorists who travelled along Ophir Road near Bugis yesterday (21 Sep) likely found themselves stuck in a massive jam.
The reason for the holdup was a tree which collapsed amid heavy rain and strong winds, pinning at least two vehicles.
Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers later arrived at the scene and rescued a driver stuck in a pickup truck.
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Big tree at City Plaza cut down after toppling on road and crushing vehicles on Sept 10
Screengrabs from TikTok video show throngs of people gathering around the fallen tree at City Plaza on 10 Sep 2023
A big tree at City Plaza in Geylang, which on Sunday (Sept 10) afternoon toppled over and fell on several vehicles, has been cut down and the mall has engaged an arborist to inspect the remaining trees on its property.
In response to TODAY's queries, City Plaza's mall management said that the tree fell at about 1pm on Sunday. In a video posted on TikTok, throngs of people can be seen standing around the fallen tree in the rain. Some are seen ducking under the tree branches in a bid to navigate their way through the crowd.
The video also shows several cars along the road trapped under the branches of the toppled tree, with the roofs of some of the cars visibly crushed under the weight of the tree branches.
Passers-by help people trapped after tree falls on vehicles in Tanjong Katong Road
A 20-m tall tree fell and obstructed Tanjong Katong Road on Sunday afternoon. PHOTO: LIANHE ZAOBAO
Community spirit was on display on Sunday afternoon when passers-by banded together to help drivers and passengers trapped in several vehicles that were hit by a fallen tree at a road junction.
The 20m-tall tree had fallen in front of City Plaza mall before the traffic junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Geylang Road just before 1pm.
In videos taken in the aftermath of the incident, at least four vehicles, including a small lorry, are seen covered by tree branches. The halted traffic caused a jam along the two-lane road.
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Passers-by rush to help after 20m-tall tree falls on vehicles outside City Plaza in Geylang
Passers-by rushed to help after a 20m-tall tree fell on traffic at the junction of Tanjong Katong Road and Geylang Road outside City Plaza, which caused a traffic jam on Sunday afternoon (Sept 10).
Netizens lauded the community spirit demonstrated in videos of the incident posted online. "Everyone came together in a group to help remove the fallen tree from the vehicles," said Stomper Raven.
"Helping hands, regardless of race or religion," commented Stomper Jane.
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'I'm definitely going to die,' thought driver before falling tree crushes back of his dad's Mercedes
Large tree branch snaps in heavy rain, crashes onto Lexus in Potong Pasir carpark
Talk about bad luck.
A large branch of a tree in a Potong Pasir open HDB carpark broke off in heavy rain on Thursday morning (July 20). Unfortunately, a car was under it.
Stomper Sim shared photos of a Lexus RX badly damaged by the fallen tree branch. The windshield of the sports-utility vehicle was smashed and the branch was still on the dented bonnet.
Part of CTE tunnel closes after tree falls onto car, motorists left stranded
A tree fell onto a car near a tunnel along the Central Expressway (CTE) towards the Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE) on Wednesday morning (July 19).
Several Stompers alerted Stomp to the incident and shared videos and photos of a car underneath a tree amidst heavy rain.
The incident caused part of the CTE tunnel to be closed, leaving motorists stranded.
A tree branch fell and damaged public property in Boon Lay on Tuesday (May 2).
Stomper Mike shared photos of the large branch at Block 207 Boon Lay Place at around 11.25am and how it appeared to have damaged a lamp post.
In response to a Stomp query, West Coast Town Council said it is aware of the incident in which a "broken tree branch" was found.
Tree falls on Mercedes in Tiong Bahru, driver taken to hospital: Road cleared after 4½ hours
One motorist was taken to hospital after a tree fell on his Mercedes-Benz at Tiong Bahru Road on Friday (March 3), making the road impassable.
Stomper Watson and Denise shared photos of the massive tree lying across the road.
SBS Transit said on its social media that bus services 5, 16, 33/33A, 63, 851, 122, 123/123M and 195/195A were diverted with five bus stops skipped.
Storm leaves several uprooted trees in its wake at Changi Beach
A Stomper was amazed by how Changi Beach looked after a weekend storm.
Stomper Yih visited Changi Beach Park on Monday (Apr 17) at 9am and shared with Stomp photos of several fallen and uprooted trees.
A lamp post was also spotted leaning precariously over a footpath.
Huge 24-metre tall tree at Malcolm Park falls onto part of Tanglin CC after heavy rain
Stompers Azhar and Adrian alerted Stomp to the incident and shared photos they took of the fallen tree along Whitley Road.
"A large tree fell between the CPIB Corruption Reporting and Heritage Centre and Tanglin Community Club at Whitley Road due to bad weather," said Azhar.
A driver was stuck for an hour after a tree fell across a road in Pasir Ris on Monday morning (Apr 3).
Stomper Jasper and Anonymous alerted Stomp to the incident and shared photos of the tree lying across a zebra crossing.
The incident happened during rainy weather in the area.
Tree falls on lorry in morning downpour, blocking Horne Road near Lavender MRT station
A tree fell on a lorry at Horne Road near Lavender MRT station during a downpour on Wednesday morning (Oct 5).
No injuries were reported. Sharing a photo and a video of the incident, Stomper Kuek was driving on Penhas Road before turning left into Horne Road and saw the tree blocking the road between Kitchener Complex and BH Building.
He told Stomp that he had to reverse his car and go by another route.
Mercedes-Benz 'wrecked' by fallen tree at Tampines carpark
A car was damaged by a fallen tree at the carpark of Block 257 Tampines Street 21 on Thursday (Sept 29).
Stomper Zed shared photos of the incident, showing workers at the scene. A silver car can be seen with its roof smashed. Zed said: "I think the tree was old and tumbled down by itself. A Mercedes-Benz got wrecked."
In response to a Stomp query, a spokesman for Tampines Town Council said: "We are aware of the case and currently working with the resident on this matter."
Tree branches fall after heavy rain in Sembawang: Wet weather to continue in first half of September
After a sweltering few months, wet weather has recently cooled things down a little.
Large tree branches fell after a heavy downpour in Sembawang on Monday afternoon (Sept 5).
Stomper Advin shared a photo taken at Block 313 Sembawang Close at around 12.10pm and said: "Madness in the north!"
Fallen tree traps 2 people and injures another in Ulu Pandan CC compound
A large tree in the compound of Ulu Pandan Community Club in Ghim Moh Road fell and trapped two people on Saturday evening (Aug 20).
A third person was found injured near the tree.
They were conscious and in a stable condition when they were sent to the National University Hospital, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). It was alerted to the incident at around 5.55pm.
Photos and videos on WhatsApp showed trees and branches falling on roads and vehicles amid heavy rain on Sunday (Feb 20) afternoon. (Images: Tie Lok Tiing, CNA Reader)
Heavy rain fell across parts of Singapore on Sunday (Feb 20) afternoon, with photos and videos circulating on WhatsApp showing vehicles damaged by falling trees and branches.
National water agency PUB issued warnings of flood and heavy rain on several occasions, one of which was a flash flood warning for Upper Paya Lebar Road at 4.35pm. "Due to heavy rain, water levels in drains have reached 90 per cent in these areas ... Please avoid the above areas for the next one hour," said PUB in a Facebook post.
The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) warned on Twitter of "thundery showers over many areas" in the afternoon. Photos and videos on WhatsApp showed trees and branches falling on vehicles amid the rain on Sunday.
Punggol resident almost impaled by tree that fell on car during thunderstorm
The tree, which is about four storeys tall, landed directly on top of Mr Gary Gong's Toyota Camry. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS READER
A Punggol resident found himself pinned in the driver's seat by a tree that fell on his car on Sunday afternoon (Feb 20).
During a thunderstorm at around 3pm, the tree at Block 289C Punggol Place fell and crashed through a shelter just as Mr Gary Gong, 54, was about to turn into the carpark of the estate where he lives.
The tree, which is about four storeys tall, then landed directly on top of Mr Gong's Toyota Camry. Two of its branches, which Mr Gong, a part-time real estate agent, estimated to be about 10cm in diameter each, shattered the windscreen and a window and went into the car.
Tree falls on car in Punggol cracking windscreen trapping driver inside
Several parts of Singapore experienced a sudden downpour on Feb. 20 afternoon. The torrential rain caused a tree to snap and fall onto a car at the car park driveway near Block 289C Punggol Place.
A video shared by a Mothership reader showed that the car under the fallen tree with Singapore Civil Defence Force personnel using equipment to break the tree up. A photo shared with Mothership also showed that a tree branch had broken the windscreen of the car.
n response to Mothership's queries, SCDF confirmed that they were alerted to a call for assistance at the said location on Feb. 20 at around 3:15pm. Upon SCDF's arrival, a person was found trapped in the driver's seat of the car. The person was rescued by SCDF eventually and no injuries were reported
Tree branch falls on car in Tiong Bahru, injuring driver
The branch fell from a Trumpet Tree that was 10m long and 1m wide. PHOTOS: DISTRICT SINGAPORE/FACEBOOK
A tree branch fell onto a car on Monday (March 29) at the junction of Tiong Bahru and Lower Delta roads, injuring the driver, who was taken to hospital.
The Straits Times understands that the driver did not suffer any major injuries.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) told ST it received a call for assistance at 5.15pm on Monday, and one person was taken to Singapore General Hospital.
Falling tree in Sembawang Park nearly hits 5-year-old girl
A family enjoying some time outdoors last Sunday (Dec 5) had a close shave with a tree that fell near their picnic spot in Sembawang Park.
A 41-year-old man told Shin Min Daily News that it nearly hit his five-year-old daughter that afternoon. They had been playing with a ball near the tree at the time.
"When my daughter went to retrieve the ball from a spot near the tree, we heard a snapping sound. Two seconds later, the tree fell," he said. Despite the scare, the girl was unharmed. Her father took a closer look at the fallen tree and noticed a rotting trunk.
24m-tall tree that fell on Tanglin CC after Saturday's rain
The tree was more than 24m tall with a girth of 4.6m, and the debris was cleared by 5pm on April 19, 2021. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
A tree which fell onto Tanglin Community Club last Saturday (April 17) evening, after heavy rain, damaged the roof of its ceramics room.
The National Parks Board said it was alerted to a fallen West Indian locust tree (Hymenaea courbaril) in Malcolm Park, off Whitley Road, around 8.30pm, following intense rainfall that day.
The tree was more than 24m tall with a girth of 4.6m, and the debris was cleared by 5pm on Monday.
NParks clears fallen tree amid stepped-up patrols at Rail Corridor
An enforcement officer from NParks patrols the Upper Bukit Timah Truss Bridge at the Rail Corridor on April 4, 2021. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID
An albizia (Falcataria moluccana) tree that had fallen across the nature trail at the Rail Corridor near the old Bukit Timah Railway Station was cleared on Sunday (April 4) by the National Parks Board.
A spokesman for NParks said self-sown non-native trees like albizia pose hazards as they are prone to falling.
"For public safety, during the construction of the Rail Corridor trail, we have removed albizia trees along the trail. In their place, we have planted native forest trees to enhance the habitat in the Rail Corridor," she said.
'It sounded like a plane dropped out of the sky': Toh Yi resident whose home was damaged by fallen tree
The falling rain tree damaged at least three units and two cars. PHOTO: SHIN MIN DAILY NEWS
A rain tree fell on four-storey walk-up condominium Kismis Court on Toh Yi Road, damaging at least three units and two cars.
No one was hurt in the incident that happened on Monday (March 1) at about 10pm.
The owners of one of the damaged units, on the third storey, told The Straits Times they were asleep when they were woken up by a loud crash.
1 killed, 4 injured after huge Tembusu tree falls at Botanic Gardens
The Tembusu tree fell at the Singapore Botanic Gardens at about 4.30pm on Saturday (Feb 11). ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE
A 40m-tall Tembusu tree fell at the Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) on Saturday (Feb 11) afternoon, killing one and injuring four people.
Police said that a 38-year-old female Indian national died. Her husband, a 39-year-old French national, and their two children, aged one, were injured. A 26-year-old female Singaporean was also injured in the incident.
The National Parks Board (NParks) said that the tree was more than 270 years old and predated the establishment of the Gardens. It fell and brought down surrounding palm trees.
Woman killed by falling tree in Marsiling Park
NParks personnel doing an investigation on the fallen tree in Marsiling Park on Feb 18, 2021. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
A woman was killed after a tree fell on her in Marsiling Park on Thursday morning (Feb 18).
Ms Loke Xiao Li, 38, was a senior technical coordinator at Channel NewsAsia studio.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it was alerted to the incident at about 8.15am and found a person trapped under a fallen tree.
Woman killed by falling tree in Marsiling Park
A body being taken away from the scene in Marsiling Park on Feb 18, 2021.
PHOTO: The Straits Times
A woman was killed after a tree fell on her in Marsiling Park on Thursday (Feb 18) morning.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said that they were alerted to the incident at about 8.15am and found a person trapped under a fallen tree.
SCDF officers used cutting equipment to extricate the 38-year-old woman, who was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.
Woman killed by a falling tree in Marsiling Park
Ms Loke Xiao Li, a senior technical coordinator at Channel NewsAsia, was killed after a tree fell on her in Marsiling Park on the morning of 18 February 2021. A loud crack was heard before the tree fell and pinned the 38-year-old woman under it. About 10 passersby tried to lift the tree but were unsuccessful. Singapore Civil Defence Officers arrived later and used cutting equipment to extricate her, but she was pronounced dead at the scene by a paramedic.
The tree was reportedly said to be a 20m-tall Araucaria excelsa tree with a girth of 1.3m. It was about 20 years old and was found to be healthy when it was inspected in April 2020. It was due for next inspection in October this year. The incident was truly an unfortunate one. Although the annual number of tree-falling incidents in Singapore had fallen from about 3,100 cases in 2001 to around 340 cases in 2020, such incidents remain an inherent risk in our garden city-state.
This is not the first case of a fatal tree-falling incident. In 2017, a 40m-tall Tembusu tree fell and fatally injured a female Indian national at Singapore Botanic Gardens. The Coroner’s Court heard that the tree had been decaying below ground level for quite some time, although it was found to be healthy and normal in its last inspection.
14 people taken to hospital after tree falls in Sembawang Park
The Singapore Civil Defence Force said it responded to the fallen tree incident in Beaulieu Road at 5.55pm. ST PHOTO: CHONG JUN LIANG
Fourteen people were taken to hospital on Thursday (Dec 20) after a tree fell on a pavilion in Sembawang Park.
The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) said it responded to the fallen tree incident in Beaulieu Road at 5.55pm.
When SCDF arrived at the scene, no one was trapped and the 14 people were taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) by SCDF ambulances.
Fallen tree crushes several vehicles in Toa Payoh
Six months ago, a falling tree branch shattered the rear windscreen of Mr Mohammad Norman Gatot Isman's car.
Yesterday, disaster struck in the same place twice, when a large tree fell on top of the 39-year-old's motorbike in the carpark next to Block 68 Lorong 5 Toa Payoh.
His was not the only vehicle damaged, with photos of the scene showing several cars and motorbikes knocked over or crushed by the falling tree.
Falling tree crushes cars and knocks over bikes in Toa Payoh
A large tree fell and crushed three cars at Blk 68 Toa Payoh Lorong 4 on Dec 13, 2020. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
Six months ago, a falling tree branch shattered the rear windscreen of Mr Mohammad Norman Gatot Isman's car.
On Sunday, disaster struck in the same place twice, when a large tree fell on top of the 39-year-old's motorbike in the carpark next to Block 68, Lorong 5 Toa Payoh.
His was not the only vehicle damaged, with photos of the scene showing several cars and motorbikes knocked over or crushed by the falling tree.
Six-storey tall tree falls in Sims Drive carpark, damages five cars
The tree fell at 5am on Oct 11, 2020, after a heavy downpour. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO
A six-storey tall tree fell in an open air carpark next to Block 41 Sims Drive damaging at least five cars in the process.
The incident took place at 5am on Sunday (Oct 11) morning after a heavy downpour.
A resident, Mr Chia Tuck Soon, said he saw police officers on the scene at around 7am as the tree was being removed. He said the tree could be about 35 years old, based on its height.
Three more trees fall as monsoon season returns
The incident in Hougang took place around 10.50am on Tuesday at Block 703 Hougang Avenue 2. PHOTOS: LIANHE ZAOBAO, LIANHE WANBAO
Two more trees have fallen as the monsoon season returns, with one tree along the pavement in Hougang landing on two cars on Tuesday (Dec 3), and one fallen tree that missed a jogger at Old Upper Thomson Road on Wednesday.
This comes after a tree was toppled following heavy rain in Bedok North on Monday, landing on a black Mercedes-Benz.
Earlier on Nov 20, a tree fell on a white Subaru car in Scotts Road, shattering the rear windscreen.
Another tree falls in Old Airport Road area after a second day of heavy rain
The tree near Block 11A Pine Close fell with a loud thud at about 4.30pm on April 4, 2019, residents said. PHOTO: LIANHE WANBAO
Heavy rain and strong winds for the second day in a row resulted in another tree uprooting and falling in the Old Airport Road area on Thursday (April 4).
The tree near Block 11A Pine Close fell with a loud thud at about 4.30pm, residents said.
The incident comes after an eight-storey tree toppled onto Block 97 Jalan Dua early on Wednesday morning. About 20 units up to the eighth storey were affected, while a pavilion at the foot of the block had its roof crushed.
Trees that fell in Sembawang Park last inspected in May 2017, found to be healthy
The uprooted trees appeared to have fallen due to heavy winds, based on the direction of falls and their large sizes, said the National Parks Board. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
The two trees that fell in Sembawang Park on Thursday night (Dec 20) which led to 14 people being injured were last inspected in May last year and found to be healthy, said the National Parks Board (NParks) on Friday.
The uprooted trees appeared to have fallen due to heavy winds, based on the direction of falls and their large sizes, said Mr Chuah Hock Seong, NParks' group director of parks, in a statement, adding that investigations are ongoing.
On Thursday, two mature trees were uprooted at around 5.30pm during an intense thunderstorm with gusty winds.
Fallen trees block pathways in Yishun Park after thunderstorm
Joggers and passers-by were forced to take a detour after fallen trees blocked pathways in the park. PHOTOS: SERI DEWI SANGHA
Joggers and passers-by came across several fallen trees in Yishun Park on Wednesday (Jan 31) morning, after a bout of heavy rain the night before.
Photos sent to The Straits Times showed at least four such trees blocking pathways in the park.
Ms Seri Dewi Sangha, 31, usually cuts through the park on her route to work but was forced to take a detour.
Tree falls on car at Scotts Road in front of Grand Hyatt hotel
Four lanes of Scotts Road had been obstructed when the tree fell at around 3pm, trapping a driver in a car. PHOTOS: WEE MEILIN, MARK CHEONG
A tree fell on a car at Scotts Road, in front of the Grand Hyatt Singapore hotel, on Wednesday afternoon (Nov 20).
The driver escaped unscathed with the help of passers-by, although the rear windscreen of his white Subaru was shattered.
The Straits Times understands that no injuries were reported.
Heavy rain in Bedok North topples tree, flash floods disrupt traffic in Jurong East and Choa Chu Kang
The tree, which toppled following heavy rain in Bedok North, fell on a black Mercedes-Benz. PHOTO: ST READER
Heavy rains and strong winds passed through various parts of Singapore on Monday (Dec 2) leaving some damage in its wake, including a tree that fell on a parked car.
The incident took place in the parking lot of a Bedok North housing estate and drew a curious crowd with their camera phones, said supermarket manager Joel Mabeo, who passed the scene on the way home from work.
Early in the day, the National Environment Agency had warned of moderate to heavy thundery showers over many areas in the late afternoon to evening.
Falling tree branch pierces through car windscreen and injures man in Geylang
The tree branch pierced through the windscreen of the vehicle, injuring its driver. PHOTOS: LIANHE WANBAO READER
A man was hurt when a tree branch fell through his windscreen at a carpark on Saturday morning (June 15).
The victim, a man in his 50s, was looking for a parking space near Block 119 Aljunied Avenue 2 in Geylang when the incident occurred.
His friend, Mr Chen, 50, told Chinese-language daily Lianhe Wanbao that the driver heard a loud "bang" as a long branch pierced through the windscreen and fell directly into his seat.
Car hit by falling tree in Upper Thomson Road after heavy rain on Sunday
One of the trees lay across two of the three lanes of the road, obstructing the flow of traffic headed in the direction of Yishun. This caused a long line of cars to form. ST PHOTO: JEREMY KWAN
Several trees toppled in Upper Thomson Road after a heavy downpour on Sunday afternoon (Feb 17), causing a traffic jam.
Mr Tan, 31, told The Straits Times that a tree fell on his car while he was travelling along Upper Thomson Road at about 4.30pm.
His wife was behind the wheel at the time while Mr Tan was with his two children, aged two years and three months old, in the back seat.
Eight-storey-high tree falls on HDB block near Old Airport Road, shattering windows of flats
The tree, near Block 97 Jalan Dua, fell at around 5am amid a heavy downpour and strong winds across the island. PHOTOS: LIM BIOW CHUAN / FACEBOOK
An eight-storey-high tree in the Old Airport Road area toppled onto a Housing Board block in the early hours of Wednesday (April 3), shattering the windows of at least four flats.
The tree, near Block 97 Jalan Dua, fell at around 5am amid a heavy downpour and strong winds across the island.
About 20 units up to the eighth storey were affected and a pavilion at the foot of the block also had its roof crushed.
More than 200 snapped branches, fallen trees reported during Tuesday's 'extreme storm'
A fallen tree near Block 332, Yishun Ring Road, on Jan 30, 2018. PHOTO: TAN MING LIE
There were more than 200 reported incidents of fallen trees and snapped tree branches on Tuesday during an "extreme storm", the National Parks Board (NParks) told The Straits Times on Wednesday (Jan 31).
NParks streetscape group director Oh Cheow Sheng said the board received those reports by late evening. Most of the fallen trees and branches were cleared by 8pm that day.
Extreme weather conditions with intense rain and strong winds were reported in the north and north-eastern parts of Singapore such as Yishun, Sembawang, Seletar, Mandai and Gambas late on Tuesday afternoon, he said.
Tree inspections in S'pore carried out every 6 to 24 months
A lychee tree sitting atop Mount Rosie in the Novena area is supported by a permanent galvanised steel structure built to withstand elements. PHOTO: ST FILE
The National Parks Board (NParks) carries out rigorous tree inspections every six to 24 months, with trees that are close to areas with high pedestrian or traffic activity receiving more frequent checks.
The tree inspection regime follows the best management practices set by the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA), Minister for National Development Desmond Lee told Parliament on Wednesday (March 3), after a woman was killed by a tree that fell in Marsiling Park last month.
"During a tree inspection, NParks' inspectors conduct a comprehensive visual examination of the tree crown, branches, trunk and roots to assess the tree's health and stability," said the minister.
Fort Canning’s Majestic Banyan Tree Falls Due To Heavy Rain, Netizen Pays Tribute To ‘Grande Dame’
22m-Tall Tree Topples Over Due To Soil Failure, Sight Saddens Nature Lover Who Has Fond Memories Of It
While many Singaporeans appreciated the cool weather resulting from the heavy rainfall over the weekend, there were some unfortunate casualties. The rain caused floods in some areas and even landslides, but perhaps the most saddening of all was the toppling of a heritage tree in Fort Canning.
The demise of the tree prompted a nature lover to wax lyrical in a Facebook post, calling the tree a “Grande Dame” of Fort Canning. It’s obvious that he was saddened by the sight, which brought back memories of the tree’s heyday.
The tree, which was located on a slope of Fort Canning Hill, was a Burmese banyan, the National Parks Board (NParks) told The Straits Times (ST). The roots of the 22m-tall tree came loose due to “soil failure” brought on by the heavy rain from 1-2 Jan. Thus, the tree collapsed, damaging part of the escalators, NParks added.
Iconic 22m heritage tree at Fort Canning Park collapses after intense rainfall
A grandiose heritage tree at Fort Canning Park has collapsed as a result of the torrential rain over the weekend. The incident happened at about 9:40am on Jan. 2 2021.
The National Parks Board (NParks) was alerted that the 22m heritage tree, a Burmese Banyan (Ficus kurzii), had fallen. A Burmese Banyan can grow up to 30m tall and has distinct aerial roots. This particular Burmese Banyan is one of the three in Singapore that has been recognised as a heritage tree.
A tree can be nominated as a heritage tree if it has a girth of more than five metres and/or has botanical, social, historical, cultural or aesthetic value. According to Ryan Lee, the Group Director of Fort Canning Park & Istana, National Parks Board (NParks), the tree had lost its grip as a result of a soil failure due to the consecutive days of intense rain.
The tree has collapsed onto the pavement and damaged a section of the sheltered escalators from Jubilee Park leading up to Fort Canning Hill. Fortunately, there were no visitors in the vicinity at that time.
Fallen trees
A tree fell in MacPherson Road towards Paya Lebar, causing it to be unpassable. ST PHOTO: KEVIN LIM
Motorists around Singapore were also hampered by the lashing rain which brought down some trees. A tree fell in MacPherson Road towards Paya Lebar, causing it to be impassable. It was cleared by about 4.20pm, said an NParks spokesman.
Another tree landed on a car along Zion Road outside Great World City at 5.40pm and was cleared at around 6.15pm.
Most trees in public areas are inspected once every six to 24 months, and more often in certain areas, said the NParks spokesman, adding that checks will be carried out to manage the damaged trees after the storm.
Woman killed by tembusu tree at Singapore Botanic Gardens last worked at Mastercard
The woman who died after being hit by a falling tembusu tree at the Singapore Botanic Gardens on Saturday has been identified as Ms Radhika Angara, 38.
Her French husband, Mr Jerome Rouch-Sirech, 39, and their two children, one-year-old twins, were also injured in the incident.
Ms Angara, an Indian national, moved to Singapore in January 2013 when she joined global social and mobile payment platform Fastacash as its chief marketing and strategy officer.
TREE OF DEATH
Marsiling Tree Collapse Victim A Driven & Sociable Person, Says Sister
On Thursday (18 Feb), Singaporeans were saddened by news of a 38-year-old lady’s passing after a tree at Marsiling Park fell on her. Later that evening, more information about the victim surfaced, including her identity and the circumstances leading up to the tragic incident.
News sites reported that the victim was a staff at Mediacorp’s Channel NewsAsia (CNA) studio. She was also reportedly wearing noise-cancelling earbuds when the tree fell. According to The Straits Times (ST), 38-year-old Loke Xiao Li was a senior technical coordinator at Mediacorp who had been with the company for 6 years.
She was also wearing a pair of noise-cancelling earphones during her run. One later appeared to be damaged while the other remained intact.
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Spate of Escalator accidents
Spate of lift accidents
Spate of SingPost 'service failures'
Spate of Data Breaches In Singapore
Spate of MOH's slip-ups
Spate of food poisoning cases
Spate of molestation and outrage of modesty
Spate of MRT disruptions
Spate of e-bike accidents
Spate of cars flipping over
Spate of facade cladding falling off
Spate of Escalator accidents
Spate of lift accidents
