Smoky-smelling
haze shrouds Singapore, on June 17, 2013 (AFP,
Roslan Rahman)
|
SINGAPORE —
Air pollution from forest fires in Indonesia's Sumatra island reached severe
levels in Singapore on Monday, triggering a health alert in the densely
populated city-state.
Skyscrapers
including the famous Marina Bay Sands casino towers were shrouded in haze and
the acrid smell of burnt wood pervaded the central business district.
The
Pollutant Standards Index soared to 105 at mid-afternoon, past the
"unhealthy" threshold of 100, according to the National Environment
Agency (NEA) website.
People with
heart and lung disease, those over 65 and children are advised to "reduce
prolonged or heavy outdoor exertion" even in moderate conditions, defined
as a reading of 51-100.
Business
and air transport have so far not been affected. Singapore schools are on
holiday.
Singapore
is one of the world's most densely populated countries. Most of its 5.3 million
people live in high-rise apartment blocks.
Haze covers
Petronas Twin Towers (L) and KL Tower (R) in Kuala Lumpur,
on June 16, 2013
(AFP, Mohd Rasfan)
|
Malaysia
has also been affected by the haze problem, which occurs in the dry season as a
result of forest fires in the sprawling Indonesian archipelago, some of them
deliberately started to clear land for cultivation.
Haze
reached unhealthy levels in Malaysia over the weekend.
On Monday,
the Malaysian pollutant index showed unhealthy levels of between 102 and 121 in
parts of the states of Pahang, Terengganu and Malacca.
In the
capital Kuala Lumpur, the sky was also hazy with a reading of 82 at midday.
Southeast
Asia's haze problem hit its worst level in 1997-1998, causing widespread health
problems and costing the regional economy billions of dollars as a result of
business and air transport disruptions.
Related Articles:
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Related Articles:
Singapore smog 'could last for weeks'
Singapore demands urgent Indonesia action on smog
Singapore hit by highest haze levels in 16 years
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