Singapore Haze Pushes PSI Into Unhealthy Range Nationwide
Singapore’s air quality remained unhealthy across every region on Wednesday as haze lifted hourly PM2.5 readings. The west reached the very high band…
SINGAPORE — Haze pushed Singapore’s PSI into the unhealthy band across every region on Wednesday, while the west recorded a very high hourly PM2.5 reading. The air-quality deterioration led Sport Singapore to close outdoor facilities at ActiveSG centres in the west and prompted other suspensions of outdoor activity.
At 3pm, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) ranged from 114 to 160 across the country, according to the National Environment Agency (NEA). The west’s hourly PM2.5 reading reached 288. A sharp rise.
The reading in the west had climbed from 195 to 284 at 2pm, then rose again an hour later. PM2.5 readings were in the high range in the south at 177, the east at 208 and the central region at 218. The north registered 140, classified as elevated.
Closures follow high PM2.5 readings
Sport Singapore temporarily shut all outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at ActiveSG sport centres in the west in response to the elevated readings. The affected locations include centres in Jurong East, Jurong West, Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak, Choa Chu Kang and Clementi, as well as Sport Village@Jurong Town, Jurong Lake Gardens, Hockey Village@Boon Lay and Senja-Cashew.
Sport Singapore said it would keep monitoring the haze and adjust operations as needed. SAFRA Toa Payoh separately suspended outdoor activities and closed its swimming pool. Sports facilities were closed and outdoor activities suspended as air quality deteriorated across the country.
The closures have a direct effect on residents seeking outdoor exercise and recreation, while the health advisory calls for people to limit exposure. NEA says people should minimise outdoor activity for the next hour when hourly PM2.5 reaches the very high range, defined as 251 and above. Seniors, pregnant women, children and other vulnerable people should avoid outdoor activity altogether during that period.
Regional hotspots keep haze risk elevated
NEA said dry weather continued overnight across many parts of the southern Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region. Rain fell in northern Sumatra, Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia, while scattered to widespread hotspots were detected in Kalimantan and southern Sumatra. NEA reported fewer hotspots elsewhere in the southern ASEAN region.
Many air-quality stations in Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Kalimantan, Sumatra and western Sarawak reported unhealthy to hazardous conditions, the agency said. Cloud cover, however, prevented a full assessment of the haze across parts of the region.
NEA forecast dry conditions in parts of the southern ASEAN region in the coming days, with showers expected in Peninsular Malaysia and the northern and central parts of Sumatra and Borneo. Areas receiving rain may see hotspots and smoke haze improve, but the agency warned that conditions could stay elevated in fire-prone areas with prolonged dry weather, leaving a continued risk of severe transboundary haze.
The agency had forecast in its Tuesday haze advisory that Singapore’s air quality would remain unhealthy on Wednesday. Prevailing winds over the southern ASEAN region were expected to blow mainly from the east-southeast to south.
Singapore’s hourly PM2.5 reading in the west reached 288 at 3pm, while the 24-hour PSI remained unhealthy nationwide.
Source: channelnewsasia.com