SINGAPORE: The air quality in Singapore fell into the unhealthy range on Saturday (Oct 7) for the first time since 2019, as winds brought haze from Indonesia's forest fires.
At of 5pm, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the eastern and central regions of Singapore were 120 and 112 respectively. The National Environment Agency (NEA) regards a reading of 101-200 as "unhealthy".
The one-hour PM2.5 readings showed elevated levels in the eastern (88) and central (94) and south (73) areas. A reading of between 56 and 150 is considered elevated.
The one-hour PM2.5 reading indicates the current air quality. Members of the public are advised to monitor these figures when planning for activities within the same day.
1-hr PM2.5 readings in Singapore as of 4pm on Oct 7, 2023. (Image: NEA)
PM2.5 readings and the health advisories. (Image: National Environment Agency)
Transborder haze is a perennial problem in Southeast Asia.
The fires in Indonesia occur every year during the dry season but this is the first time since September 2019 that they have caused the PSI to reach unhealthy levels in Singapore.
NEA said there has been a "significant increase" in the number of hotspots in Sumatra, with 212 detected on Friday compared with 65 on Thursday and 15 on Wednesday.
It warned of haze affecting Singapore this weekend if the fires persist and the wind direction is unfavourable.
Malaysia has also been affected, with the country's environment minister urging Indonesia to take action on the fires.
"We submitted our letter to inform the Indonesian government and urging them to hopefully take action on the matter," Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Malaysia's minister of natural resources, environment and climate change said on Thursday.
"We cannot keep going back to having haze as something normal."
In anticipation of the haze, Singapore's environment agency said last Friday that the government’s haze task force, made up of 28 public agencies, is ready to roll out their respective haze action plans.
Members of the public in Singapore can check current air quality readings and advisories on www.haze.gov.sg and the myENV app.
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At of 5pm, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the eastern and central regions of Singapore were 120 and 112 respectively. The National Environment Agency (NEA) regards a reading of 101-200 as "unhealthy".
The one-hour PM2.5 readings showed elevated levels in the eastern (88) and central (94) and south (73) areas. A reading of between 56 and 150 is considered elevated.
The one-hour PM2.5 reading indicates the current air quality. Members of the public are advised to monitor these figures when planning for activities within the same day.
1-hr PM2.5 readings in Singapore as of 4pm on Oct 7, 2023. (Image: NEA)
PM2.5 readings and the health advisories. (Image: National Environment Agency)
Transborder haze is a perennial problem in Southeast Asia.
The fires in Indonesia occur every year during the dry season but this is the first time since September 2019 that they have caused the PSI to reach unhealthy levels in Singapore.
NEA said there has been a "significant increase" in the number of hotspots in Sumatra, with 212 detected on Friday compared with 65 on Thursday and 15 on Wednesday.
It warned of haze affecting Singapore this weekend if the fires persist and the wind direction is unfavourable.
Malaysia has also been affected, with the country's environment minister urging Indonesia to take action on the fires.
"We submitted our letter to inform the Indonesian government and urging them to hopefully take action on the matter," Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, Malaysia's minister of natural resources, environment and climate change said on Thursday.
"We cannot keep going back to having haze as something normal."
In anticipation of the haze, Singapore's environment agency said last Friday that the government’s haze task force, made up of 28 public agencies, is ready to roll out their respective haze action plans.
Members of the public in Singapore can check current air quality readings and advisories on www.haze.gov.sg and the myENV app.
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