The politics of disaster: The Great Singapore Flood of 1954

Abstract

Singapore in the 1950s was a deeply divided society. Struggling to recover from the hardships ofthe Second World War and fighting an internal battle that the British government termed an'emergency', it was a time of hardship, tension, and anxiety. In the midst of this crisis, Singapore'sinhabitants continued to manage the natural elements of their climate and environment, especiallythe dangerous combination of heavy monsoonal rains, low-lying marshland, and tidal flooding.This article examines the circumstances surrounding a particularly severe episode of flooding thatoccurred in December 1954. It explores how the flood's impact was exacerbated by humanexigencies, especially recent government resettlement plans and infrastructural weaknesses.In line with the themes of this special issue, it explores the notion of 'justice' during a disaster.In this case, justice was intimately related to political agency, social vulnerability and resilience.Viewed in this way, the flood story can be used as a lens into the wider socio-political contexts ofthe time.