- Title: INDONESIA-HAZE/SINGAPORE Haze blankets Singapore
- Date: 24th October 2015
- Summary: SINGAPORE (OCTOBER 24, 2015) (REUTERS) SINGAPORE CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT (CBD) SHROUDED BY HAZE VARIOUS OF MERLION VARIOUS OF SINGAPORE ESPLANADE THEATRE SHROUDED BY HAZE VARIOUS OF SINGAPORE FLYER SHROUDED BY HAZE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (English) 19 YEAR OLD SINGAPOREAN, XAVIER, SAYING: "Actually the haze quite affected me a lot because I personally
- Embargoed: 8th November 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Singapore
- Country: Singapore
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVADR3EN2PP2R8U488RE3C569LZP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Singaporean residents braved the haze blanketing the city state on Saturday (October 24) to visit some of the sights as some experts warned the smoke might last until early 2016.
The three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading was over 200 at 8am (0000 GMT) falling to 168 at 1400 (0600GMT). The 24-hour figure registered at 183-225 at 1400 (0600GMT). Anything over 200 indicates "very unhealthy" air quality and 101-200 is "unhealthy", Singapore's National Environment Agency says on its website.
One resident, 18 year old, Xavier said he suffered with the haze due to his asthma.
"Actually the haze quite affected me a lot because I personally I have asthma, and then it's like sometimes when there's haze I cannot really breath, that's why feel very difficulty breathing, having difficulty breathing problem and then my asthma is also get worsen," he said.
Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual "haze" caused by forest and peat clearing across Indonesia, which has come under increasing political pressure to stop the problem, but so far to no avail.
Fires this year have been helped by drier weather brought by the El Nino weather phenomenon and have pushed air pollution to hazardous levels across Southeast Asia, forcing schools to close and disrupting flights for weeks.
Anne Arrowsmith, who has lived in Singapore for 12 years said countries should look at doing more to help Indonesia.
"Look I think there has to be, I would say probably a global approach to the fact that the environment affects us all and it's not just the responsibility of one country. So, you know, I guess it takes a political will as well as an economic one and if there's a cost, if there's an economic cost to Singapore and other countries then perhaps we need to do a bit more to assist Indonesia," she said.
The former general and coordinating security minister Luhut Pandjaitan, who has been tasked by President Joko Widodo to oversee the response to the haze, said the country was treating the issue as a national disaster but stopped short of declaring a state of national emergency.
Indonesia earlier this month asked several countries, including neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia and far-flung Russia, for aid, equipment and personnel to help combat the fires.
Noting the success of Russia's Be200 water bomber, Pandjaitan said he had requested similar aircraft assistance from Canada, the United States and France.
The fires are spreading to new areas like Papua and are unlikely to be put out till next year, experts say.
Widodo said no new permits would be given to plantation companies to develop peatland, and that the government would work to restore and re-irrigate drained peatland areas that are often hit by fires. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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