Slight haze hits Singapore
The haze over Singapore seen from The Cosmopolitan condominium at Kim Seng Road on 19 August 2013.
PHOTO: Slight haze hits Singapore
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SINGAPORE - The haze appeared to have made a comeback yesterday afternoon, as the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading moved beyond the "good" range into the "moderate".
A PSI reading below 50 means that the air quality is within the "good" range. At 3pm yesterday, the three-hour PSI reading stood at 56. At 4pm, the reading dipped slightly to 52, and dropped to 30 by 6pm.
The haze had last hit Singapore in June, with the PSI reading peaking at 401 on June 21.
In a statement yesterday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that the "slightly hazy" conditions in Singapore were caused by smoke from fires in southern Sumatra, brought over by south-westerly winds overnight.
"However, air quality remains within the moderate range and normal activities can still be carried out," it said.
NEA added that the slightly hazy conditions were expected to improve "with the strengthening of winds and change in wind direction".
In its 24-hour PSI forecast, the NEA said that the total number of hot spots detected in Sumatra dropped from 199 to 82 yesterday.
The "burnt smell" in the air yesterday made legal associate Koh Choon Yee, 24, uncomfortable as she was travelling to her office in Raffles Place.
"I just hope the haze won't persist or worsen," she said, adding that she is especially worried for her grandmother, who has a bad cough.
tsjwoo@sph.com.sg
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