Singaporeans breathe easier as haze abates slightly

Straits Times 16 Jun 13;

A view of Housing Board flats at Lorong 1A Toa Payoh, at 5.30pm yesterday. The PSI reading then was 78, a slight improvement from Friday's peak of 88. The haze can be expected to linger for a few days, the NEA has said. -- ST PHOTO: NURIA LING

There were slightly clearer skies over Singapore yesterday, even though forest fires continued to rage in Sumatra.

The Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) eased slightly from last Friday's peak of 88 but remained in the "moderate" range, with the three-hour reading for the island hitting a high of 79 at 6pm.

A PSI reading of zero to 50 is "good", while anything above 100 is considered "unhealthy".

At 4pm yesterday, the 24-hour PSI readings in different parts of the island ranged from 66 to 89.

And as the hazy skies and burning smell receded perceptibly, many took the chance to spend the day outdoors.

At Gardens by the Bay, visitors were out and about in the evening. One of them, customer service associate Juni Rahmat, was surprised by the PSI reading.

"It feels like nothing today. If it was like Friday, I wouldn't have come here. Not only was it hot then, but it was hazy too," said Ms Juni, who was celebrating her 25th birthday.

Naval officer Eric Tam, 33, said he could still smell a slight burning, but "it's better than on Friday".

Still, the haze can be expected to be around for a few days, National Environment Agency officials said on Friday, as south-westerly winds carry smoke in this direction from forest fires in Sumatra.

In Riau, the Indonesian province prone to forest fires closest to Singapore, thick smoke continued to envelop several areas like the coastal city of Dumai as dry weather continued.

Visibility has been reduced all week, but flights have not been affected, city government spokesman Darmawan told The Sunday Times.

"There has been no rain for the past week," he said yesterday.

"Though the ban on burning (of land and shrubs) has been observed around here, sometimes dry weather sees the unintended happen."

As long as the PSI remains in the moderate range, people considered vulnerable should curtail their exertion, said NEA. This includes those with lung or heart disease, children and the elderly.

Melissa Lin and Zakir Hussain