Post date: Jun 22, 2013 10:7:39 AM
Singapore's pollution rises to levels considered hazardous for a fourth day due to forest fires inIndonesia.
SINGAPORE (JUNE 22, 2013) (REUTERS) - Haze from fires in Indonesia enveloped Singapore on Saturday (June 22) with pollution levels high in one of Southeast Asia's worst air-pollution crisis.
The pollution standards index (PSI) edged to 326 at 1000 local time (0200GMT), a level considered hazardous. The readings are an average taken over 3 hours.Whipped up by winds, the Indonesia blazes added to fears over health problems and diplomatic tension in Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
One morning jogger visiting Singapore from Kuala Lumpur said the conditions were painful for runners.
"It's pretty tough, it's tougher than running in Australia. It's ok, it was worse yesterday in the middle of the day, I think if you go early it's ok. Still not perfect but it's ok," Joe Buckwell said.
New Zealand tourist, Glynis Brown said the smog was ruining her visit.
"Apart from the fact that it actually makes your lungs hurt. It's kinda disappointing, we went out to the bird park yesterday and there were some feedings and some shows that were cancelled because of it. I don't know, but I suppose it's not good for the birds as much as it is not good for us. We were here in 2003, and it was the most amazing, so yeah, I'm glad. It's kinda disappointing to come back," she said.
Thai tourist, Ken A., who didn't want to give his surname, said the haze was shrouding all the sights.
"It's not good, it's not good for the travelling because you cannot see and take the photographs in the wheel of Marina Bay," he said.
Illegal burning on Indonesia's Sumatra island typically takes place in the June to September dry season to clear space for palm oil plantations. This year's fires are unusually widespread and the haze is the worst in Singapore's history.
Singapore's government has warned it could last for weeks.
Indonesia has earmarked around 200 billion rupiah (20 million U.S. dollars) to handle the disaster.