Written Answer by Ministry of National Development on whether land subsidence is taking place in Singapore
Feb 5, 2018
Mr Leon Perera: To ask the Minister for National Development
(a) whether the Ministry has evidence pertaining to whether land subsidence is taking place in Singapore;
(b) if so, what are the future consequences of this; and
(c) what policy actions are being planned to mitigate these consequences.
Answer:
Land subsidence refers to the loss of surface elevation when soil gradually settles and compacts over time. Some degree of land subsidence happens in all countries, due to natural phenomena such as tectonic motion, as well as human action, such as building and construction. Singapore lies away from the margins of tectonic plates, and our ground predominantly consists of stable geological materials. Hence, we have not seen evidence of land subsidence in Singapore that would raise cause for concern.