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Haze: PSI forecast to be in unhealthy range for next 24 hours, 11 hotspots detected in Sumatra

SINGAPORE — The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the unhealthy range, the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a 6pm update as hazy conditions persisted across the Republic.

Haze seen over parts of Singapore on Aug 26, 2016. Photo: Ernest Chua

Haze seen over parts of Singapore on Aug 26, 2016. Photo: Ernest Chua

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SINGAPORE — The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the unhealthy range, the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a 6pm update as hazy conditions persisted across the Republic.

The 1-hr PM2.5 concentration over the next 24 hours is also expected to fluctuate between Band II (Elevated) (56μg/m3 to 150μg/m3) and Band III (High) (151μg/m3 to 250μg/m3), said the NEA. “There could be a further deterioration in the air quality in the night should the westerly winds blow in denser haze from Sumatra.”

Singapore woke up to the smell of smoke burning in the air on Friday morning, due to smoke haze blown in from central Sumatra by the prevailing westerly winds, and it quickly became one of the top trending topic on Twitter and Google searches. Air quality was in the moderate to unhealthy range for most of the day.

A total of 11 hotspots were detected in Sumatra on Friday, and moderate to dense smoke haze from some of the hotspots in central Sumatra were observed to spread eastward toward Singapore.

Source: NEA

The NEA said its Chief Executive Officer has written to his Indonesian counterpart to “register Singapore’s concerns over additional episodes of deterioration in air quality in Singapore should the fires continue”. 

The NEA has “urged Indonesia to continue taking the necessary actions to prevent and mitigate the fires during this dry season, and asked for an update on the situation in Sumatra and Kalimantan”.

The NEA advised that healthy persons reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion. The elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion. Persons who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should seek medical attention.

With drier weather expected for the rest of the region, the NEA will issue daily haze advisories from Friday. 

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli posted on Facebook that he was “doubly disturbed that the haze shrouded us” as Singapore held a State Funeral Service for the late former President S R Nathan.

“This morning, we saw hazy skies and a strong burning smell across the island as the winds blew our way even when there were not as many hotspots as last year. The latest satellite image showed some hotspots were observed in central Sumatra. Localised smoke plumes were visible from the hotspots. The dry weather conditions in Sumatra also means that Singapore can expect smoke from fires due to the prevailing westerly winds in the region,” he said.

“But in the spirit that Mr Nathan has left us with, we will persevere even if slowly but surely to fight the scourge of haze produced by irresponsible concession land owners.”

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