High tides seen at Kusu Island after heavy rain on 7 Jan
Hide tides were spotted at Kusu Island on Wednesday (7 Jan), sparking concern among netizens about rising sea levels and climate impact.
The phenomenon was posted to Facebook, with clips showing waves lapping over the island’s breakwaters.
In one of the three videos that was posted, the tide can be seen overflowing onto the grass verge.
Source: Complaint Singapore on Facebook
The viral post has prompted online discussion, with some netizens expressing concern about rising sea levels and the future of small islands.
One commenter suspects that with the rise of sea levels, there may be a concern that the small islands will “vanish” in the future.
Source: Complaint Singapore on Facebook
Kusu Island, located about 5.6 kilometres to the south of the main island, is one of Singapore’s many offshore islands.
Water levels recede by morning after
In a separate Facebook post on 8 Jan, the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) said the island experienced “a little extra splash” due to heavy rain coinciding with high tide.
SLA added that water levels have since receded and the shoreline has returned to normal.
Images of Kusu Island on 8 Jan at around 9.40am showed reasonably calmer waters.
Source: Singapore Land Authority – SLA on Facebook
“Our team has been on-site keeping a close watch, and the public areas on the island remain safe and accessible,” the post stated, advising visitors to check the weather forecast when visiting.
According to the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS), Kusu Island experiences semi-diurnal tides — two high and two low tides each day.
“High tides typically range between 2.5 and 3.2 metres, while low tides range from about 0.3 to 1.5 metres, depending on the lunar cycle,” MSS added.
Source: Singapore Land Authority – SLA on Facebook
MSS explained that this combination caused water levels to rise above the daily average.
“Such events are not common and reflect the interaction between astronomical forces and regional meteorological conditions with the normal tidal cycle”.
Also read: Heavy rain to continue in S’pore from 17-19 Jan with temperatures dropping to 22°C
Heavy rain to continue in S’pore from 17-19 Jan with temperatures dropping to 22°C
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Featured image adapted from Complaint Singapore on Facebook.
