The jogger who was slashed in Yishun on Tuesday isn't the first victim.

Shin Min Daily News reported that another woman was attacked and stabbed on 29 Jan at 11pm in the same area.

On Tuesday, a man brutally slashed a health-care worker, 23, who was out on a jog at about 11am.

In the earlier incident, a woman was stabbed repeatedly about 1.5km from the latest incident. A police spokesman confirmed the 29 Jan attack. No arrests have been made so far.

The police spokesman said that investigations are ongoing.

Ms Jo Tan, 26, a freelance tutor who lives at Block 172, Yishun Avenue 7 where the 29 Jan incident happened, saw the victim after the attack.

She told The New Paper: "I saw someone lying on the floor and I thought it may have been a heart attack. I was on the way to a friend's home when I saw her.

"I didn't hear her scream at all. I often stay out late but I'm scared now because I live with my sister and my wheelchair-bound father."

While it's unclear if it was the same attacker, the details are similar.

Both victims were observed for about 15 minutes each before they were attacked.

In both instances, the attacker of slim build was seen clad in long pants and T-shirts. The attacker also slashed the victims on their hands, back and neck.

The victim in the 29 Jan attack, who gave her name only as Madam Huang, spoke to Shin Min Daily News after a concerned resident alerted the newspaper.

The resident had learnt about Madam Huang's attack from Madam Huang's landlady, Madam Ling, who rents out a room to her.

Madam Huang, 31, a sales assistant, told Shin Min that she was at the void deck of Block 172 Yishun Avenue 7 when she noticed a young Chinese man loitering around the area.

Black T-shirt

She said the slender man looked to be in his 20s, was about 1.63m and dressed in a black T-shirt and long pants. He was carrying a black backpack.

Madam Huang, a Malaysian, said: "He looked like he was waiting for friends, so I didn't pay too much attention to him."

About 15 minutes later, she walked towards the lift. While waiting for the lift, she felt someone push her from the back.

When she turned around, she saw the same man she had earlier spotted at the void deck.

To her horror, he was holding a 6cm-long knife. He then attacked her, repeatedly stabbing her for about five minutes.

Madam Huang recalled: "Everything happened so quickly, I didn't even notice at first that he had slashed my waist twice. Before I knew it, he was slashing the right side of my neck."

With all her might, Madam Huang pushed her attacker away. Overcome with fear, she said she could not scream.

Instead, she used her hands to shield herself from his attacks. But her attacker was relentless and her hands were slashed.

She said: "He was mindlessly slashing me. It was only when I screamed for help that he stopped and ran off. It was really frightening."

Bleeding and in pain, she said she walked for about 50m before bumping into a passer-by who helped her call for an ambulance.

She was taken to the Tan Tock Seng Hospital where she was warded for four days.

The attack left her with "at least eight stab wounds" on her back, chest and left arm. She is now recuperating in her friend's house.

She said: "It's a bad memory, I wouldn't dare to live there again. I was fortunate enough not to be killed. My left hand now has a scar over 10 cm long."

Worried

Madam Ling, 38, said Madam Huang had moved in just a month before the attack.

The worried woman said: "As long as the attacker is not yet captured, he may strike again.

"Now I don't dare to go out alone at night. That's the same advice I will give to other female residents in the area."

On Tuesday, policemen in red berets and vests were seen searching the area, while red armoured vans with the words Special Operations Command emblazoned on them were parked along the roads.

Policemen with dogs could also be seen in the forested area behind the dorm.

Residents have been sharing details of the attacks.

Madam Kam Lai Fong, a 33-year-old housewife, said: "When we saw the blood we wondered whether it was a lovers' tiff or drunkards. There was a lot of blood.

"Residents are worried especially those with daughters."

shreeann@sph.com.sg