Chitra Kumar Channel NewsAsia 14 May 14;
SINGAPORE: There are about 120 active volcanoes in the region around Singapore.
The last time Singapore's air quality was affected by volcanic ash from an eruption was when Mount Pinatubo erupted in June 1991.
At that time, air quality went into the moderate range of between 57 and 70 for three days from 17-19 June.
But with the possibility of future eruptions in mind, authorities in Singapore are putting in place systems to monitor the impact of volcanic ash.
In February this year, the eruption of Mt Kelud in Java caused flights out of Singapore to five Indonesian cities (Semarang, Solo, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and Bandung) to be cancelled.
And there have been other eruptions close by.
Mount Sinabung, located 650km from Singapore, erupted in 2010 and 2013; Mount Bromo in 2010; and Mount Merapi, the closest to Singapore at 400km away, in 2004 and 2010.
Air quality in Singapore was not affected following these eruptions.
Still, authorities are not taking things for granted.
Dr Benoit Taisne, Assistant Professor at Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, said: "The closest volcano to Singapore is Merapi in Sumatra, 400 kilometres away.
"We are working in collaboration with our colleagues from Indonesia to have more instruments on the ground to better predict the next eruption, and how violent the eruption will be.
"Since it is the closest one (to Singapore), it is the one mostly likely to inject ashes into the atmosphere that can affect Singapore.
"We need two to three years to have a good monitoring system on the ground, and then we will be capable of understanding the results for the long term."
Fong Peng Keong, director of Pollution Control Department at National Environment Agency (NEA), said: "Back in 1991, the Mount Pinatubo (eruption) actually affected the Singapore's air quality slightly.
"Our PSI actually went into the moderate range. The highest we recorded for three days was about 70.
"In the current context itself, well, the public need not be alarmed because we have the existing sensors in place.
"We have our MET service (Meteorological Service Singapore), which is working closely with research institutions such as Earth Observatory Singapore to get advanced warning.
"All these give us time to know in advance, of how volcanic ash will be affecting Singapore, and should volcanic ash be imminent in Singapore, we will actually put up advisories in regular NEA forums or NEA websites to keep the public well informed.
"Even our PSI will be able to record the changes in the weather in terms of air quality, if such an episode affects us."
- CNA/ir
Singapore to get volcanic sensor system
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 16 May 14;
SINGAPORE - Singapore will have a new sensor system on the island by the year end to get first-hand information about nearby volcanic eruptions.
It will enable the authorities to determine more quickly if and how the eruptions would affect Singapore - for example, if volcanic ash thrown up would reach the country.
The system will be installed by Nanyang Technological University's Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS), which conducts fundamental research on volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes and climate change in and around South-east Asia.
The sensors pick up low-frequency sounds or "infrasounds", including those emitted by the eruptions. These sounds, which cannot be heard by people, can travel thousands of kilometres and have a distinctive signature that is different from, say, infrasounds generated by airplanes.
Currently, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) receives advisories from Volcanic Ash Advisory Centres, such as the nearest one in Darwin, Australia.
There are nine of these around the world, including in Buenos Aires, Tokyo and London. They were set up by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, part of the United Nations.
The MSS also uses satellite images to track ash plumes, but images can be obscured by clouds or reflections from sunlight.
"With infrasound, if all goes well, you could have an alert of a nearby volcano erupting in under an hour," said Dr Felicia Shaw, who heads the MSS' Hazard Risk and Impact Assessment Unit. "Whereas right now we are waiting to hear from our data networks or for an observation from the satellite, which does erode our lead time."
The National Environment Agency, Ministry of Heath (MOH) and EOS organised a session yesterday for the media to learn more about nearby volcanoes and volcanic ash, although they stressed there was no imminent threat.
In fact, the Republic's air quality has not been affected by many recent eruptions, such as that of Mount Kelud in Indonesia in February.
The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines was the second-largest in the 20th century, but air quality here was only slightly affected. The Pollutant Standards Index rose to the "moderate" range for three days, hitting 70 at its peak.
EOS principal investigator Fidel Costa Rodriguez said the volcano closest to Singapore is Mount Marapi in Indonesia. It is about 400km away and has "frequent but small" eruptions.
Dr Derrick Heng, group director of the Health Ministry's public health group, said there are few studies on the health impact of volcanic ash, but "there is some indication that it is less harmful compared to haze particles". Still, MOH considers the health effects to be similar to those of particulate air pollutants as a precaution, he said.
