SINGAPORE: The two trees that fell at Sembawang Park on Thursday (Dec 20) were last inspected in May last year and assessed to be healthy, said the National Parks Board (NParks) in a media statement on Friday.
14 people were taken to hospital after one of the trees fell on a shelter where they were taking cover during a thunderstorm on Thursday evening.
READ: 14 taken to hospital after 2 trees uprooted at Sembawang Park
On Friday, NParks said it was still investigating the cause, but added that the trees may have been uprooted due to the thunderstorm.
“Based on the same direction of falls and the large size of the two uprooted trees, they appear to have succumbed to heavy winds.”
Trees are inspected and pruned every 12 to 24 months, sometimes more often, based on the tree care guidelines of the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).
“The frequency of inspection and pruning varies according to factors such as location, species, age, and the condition of the trees,” NParks said.
“This is more stringent than the recommendations by ISA.”
Areas with higher traffic, such as major roads, expressways and certain parks, are inspected more frequently.
“NParks officers also carry out regular checks of our trees when they do their routine rounds of our streetscapes and parks,” NParks said. “These checks are intensified during periods of adverse weather conditions to pick out trees for targeted tree pruning and crown reduction or more detailed inspection.”Storm-affected areas are also checked for damaged trees and mitigation measures, such as crown pruning and reduction, are taken. Severely damaged trees may be removed, though this is not often done.
The area affected by the fallen trees is cordoned off to facilitate clearance work. The rest of the park remains open to visitors.
