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Singapore feeling the haze heat
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BILLOWING smoke from Indonesian forest fires has worsened Singapore’s air pollution, raising concern among organizers of this weekend’s widely anticipated Formula One night race, as well as in schools that reopened yesterday after a weeklong term break.
Large parts of neighboring Malaysia were also shrouded in the gray, acrid pall, and an Indonesian province declared an emergency that closed schools and limited working hours.
The Pollutant Standards Index, Singapore’s main measure of air pollution, rose to 222 in the early hours of yesterday, the highest level in a year and above the official “very unhealthy” bandwidth of 200, according to the National Environment Agency. This is particularly taxing on young children, the elderly and those with heart or lung diseases.
Persistent haze over the weekend caused the cancellation of several outdoor events.
The organizers of the Singapore Grand Prix, to be held from Friday to Sunday, were also keeping a close watch on the situation. The annual extravaganza, which has been held in Singapore since 2008, draws hordes of tourists and racing enthusiasts from the region.
“In the event that the haze caused visibility, public health or operational issues, Singapore GP would work closely with the relevant agencies before making any collective decisions regarding the event,” the Singapore GP said in a statement.
The thick, dirty white haze also blanketed many parts of Malaysia, with 30 out of 52 air pollutant stations recording unhealthy air levels late yesterday, including in Kuala Lumpur and the administrative capital, Putrajaya. The haze affects the region every year, and is largely caused by slashing and burning forests to clear the land for agriculture in Indonesia.
In peat-rich Riau province on Sumatra island, air quality has worsened, threatening people’s health and disrupting flights. Governor Arsyadjuliandi Rachman declared an emergency in the province yesterday.
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