Flash Flood Incident: Whose fault is it?

There’s been a massive uproar on who is to be blame for the incident which occurred on 16th June. Due to a heavy downfall, it resulted in a flash flood which wreak chaos in Central parts of Singapore including, Bukit Timah Road, Thomson Road and the eventful Orchard Road which was filled with office workers and shoppers. The impact of the flash flood was disastrous: shops all “sunk”, causing a net loss of billions. Many patrons were evacuated away from water rising to waist-height. Many Singaporeans are blaming the Government for not preparing them well and trying to avert the entire flood, so that they would not be at loss. However, the Government is rejecting all ideas that they are to blame and instead claim that it is just the act of Mother Nature and nothing else. Some Singaporeans think that the Government is just using this excuse in order to not pay and ensure no loss for shop owners. There are many fault-accusing and blames on both parties; however who is mainly to be blame?
Firstly, let’s use the case of a shop owner who was affected in Orchard Road, therefore reporting a loss of over thousands of dollars. Your items have been washed away and you are fretting over the loss. How do you pay the rent? How do you ensure that your patrons return back to your store? Let’s think of the answer to all your difficulties: blaming the Government and trying to attain the profit seems the best key. Thus, I sense that many Singaporeans who were affected in the flash flood are either looking to repay their loss or either taking items for granted. Due to the “peaceful” life in Singapore, many Singaporeans were taken aback when they met the flash flood. They felt that it was a total and serious disaster, thus amplifying the degree of seriousness. Singaporeans have shown their own opinion of saying that the Government should construct better and larger canals so that they would be able to avoid all case of flood. However, there was an underlying factor that caused the flood: the waste found in the canals. The canals were supposed to be at its best performance, however the waste found in the canals hindered their potential to drain all the water. Whose fault is it now? The Government? I don’t think so. Those who were not affected and posted the answer of widening the canals are either too free or either trying to attain fame. ( Assumption )
Secondly, imagine you are a Minister in charge of National affairs. The recent rain flood has arisen to complaints of workers and shop owners that net loss was overwhelming. Many have lost of billions and millions and are looking for you for the answer. They wish you are able to neutralize their loss, however, do you wish to waste money on this trivial matter? The Government who are trying to avoid all blames may have an underlying reason: not to waste money to find a balance of satisfaction and unhappiness. This case can be seen as serious and not serious, depending on your own opinion. The Government may have seen this as rather serious, but not serious enough that requires immediate actions. They may have a mindset: If I expend money on widening the canals and the Singaporeans continue to litter, would this money be worthwhile? If I also do so, yet no flood occurs again. Is is worth it? Maybe it’s just a fluke that it happened twice? Thus, the Government may have to consider the cost which is the main priority of many countries and maybe not entirely have to blame.
Personally, I feel that both parties have to be blame for this situation. If the Singaporeans did not litter, would the flash flood happened? If the Government had prepared the Singaporeans from this disaster, would the Singaporeans still be in a dilemma of thinking of an action? However, there may be a third party who maybe included: Mother Nature herself. She obviously plays a part in this flash flood with the heavy downfall. So if the Singaporeans play their part and the Government play safe and educate them how, this flood can be just seen as “Mother Nature’s fault” and the loss can be minimized as possible, causing no uproar and debates.