Flash Mob Gets Singapore Ready for Flash Floods in Epic Film from Tribal Worldwide Singapore

Tribal Worldwide Singapore’s latest film for PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency (PUB), aims to encourage the public to be flood ready, amidst increasingly erratic weather and more intense storms triggered by climate change.

The fast-paced and suspenseful film, titled ‘The Flash Mob’, personifies the opportunistic behaviour of floodwaters flowing rapidly through the streets of Singapore, only to be met by PUB’s various flood protection measures.

With this film, Tribal conceptualised an innovative way of showcasing PUB’s efforts in flood management, while also promoting the need for community resilience and preparedness. 

Benson Toh, executive creative director at Tribal Worldwide Singapore said: “To bring to life the unrelentingly disruptive nature of floodwaters and its ability to show up anywhere at any time, we personified the floodwaters as an energetic mob of blue figures that are fluid in movement and constantly up to no good. The yellow ones on the other hand, represent not just PUB’s flood protection measures, but the steadfast people behind them. By highlighting the tension between these two sides, we hope to instil a sense of urgency that drives our audience to be well-prepared, should a flash flood occur.”

PUB takes a holistic approach to flood protection in Singapore. PUB has built an extensive drainage network and infrastructure over the years and regularly conducts drain improvement works to manage stormwater. However, flash floods can still occur due to extreme intense rainfall that temporarily overwhelms the drain capacity. They can also happen when there is prolonged rainfall in low-lying areas and when drains are choked with litter.

The film is part of PUB’s recent efforts to support the community to better prepare and respond to flood incidents, including transforming how public can receive flood information via a new Telegram channel (https://t.me/sgflood) in November 2021, which currently has some 13,000 subscribers. Public can receive up to date information on weather and flood warnings

The F.L.A.S.H mnemonic, was specially developed in December 2021, as an easy way for public to remember the actions to take in the event a flash flood. Social media resources such as engaging series of animated gif social posts put the spotlight on various flood protection measure around us e.g. how certain features such as climbing up and down stairs at the MRT station, are intentional designs for flood resilience.

“PUB remains committed to raising awareness of the dangers of flash floods and have put in place measures to mitigate flood risk. These measures include the expansion of existing drains and canals where possible, construction of detention tanks, and the raising of road levels. As our weather becomes more unpredictable, and rainfall more intense, we must be prepared for flash floods to occur and know what to do when it happens.” said Cindy Keng, director of the 3P Network Department of PUB.