2 hrs ago
Singapore Warns Travellers as Haze Makes Air Quality Unhealthy
Haze has made the air unhealthy in Singapore for several days.
Singapore’s High Commissioner, Simon Wong, warned people travelling there to check official air-quality advice.
Healthy people should spend less time doing hard or lengthy activities outside.
Older people, children, pregnant women, and people with certain heart or lung conditions should avoid or greatly limit those activities.
Haze is also affecting neighbouring Malaysia.
Malaysia said schools in places with very high pollution readings must close.
Some closures began Friday, while another rule starts on October 12.
Air quality readings vary from good to hazardous.
Singapore High Commissioner to India Simon Wong advised travellers to consult official National Environment Agency advisories.
Singapore recorded Pollutant Standards Index readings in the unhealthy range for several days because of transboundary haze.
Healthy people were advised to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity during unhealthy air conditions.
Older people, children, pregnant women, and people with chronic lung or heart disease were advised to minimize or avoid such activity.
Malaysia expanded school closures amid haze, including in Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya, with closures tied to Air Pollutant Index readings.
- Who
- Singapore travellers and residents, and students in affected Malaysian areas.
- What
- Singapore issued a haze advisory, while Malaysia expanded school closures due to poor air quality.
- Where
- Singapore and affected parts of Malaysia, including Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
- When
- The advisory was posted Friday; Malaysian closures began Friday, with some additional closures scheduled from October 12.
- Why
- Transboundary haze has caused unhealthy air-quality readings.
Key facts
- Singapore air quality
- Pollutant Standards Index readings had crossed into the unhealthy range for a few days.
- Healthy people
- Advised to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities during unhealthy air conditions.
- Vulnerable groups
- Older people, children, pregnant women, and people with chronic lung or heart disease should minimize or avoid such activities.
- Malaysia closure threshold
- Schools in areas with Air Pollutant Index readings above 180 were to close starting Friday.
- Additional Malaysia closures
- Schools in areas with readings above 150 for three consecutive days were to close from October 12.
- Malaysia readings
- As of 1 p.m., most areas across Peninsular Malaysia were recording unhealthy readings; Selangor, Johor, and Negeri Sembilan were particularly affected.
- Malaysia API scale
- 0–50 good; 51–100 moderate; 101–200 unhealthy; 201–300 very unhealthy; 301 and above hazardous.
Quotes
Simon Wong
Singapore’s High Commissioner to India
“For periods when the air quality crosses into the unhealthy range, NEA has advised healthy people to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor activities, while vulnerable groups like the elderly, children and pregnant women, as well as people with chronic lung or heart disease, should minimise or avoid such activities altogether.”
thehansindia.com
“Attention travellers to Singapore, Singapore has been experiencing Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings crossing into the ‘unhealthy’ range for a few days now due to transboundary haze. Encourage travellers to refer to official NEA advisories to plan for the day ahead.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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