Several events cancelled on Saturday due to haze

The air quality in Singapore had been in the Very Unhealthy range since 4am. NEA said the current conditions are expected to continue for the rest of the day.
Abhishek Ravikrishnan Channel NewsAsia 25 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Due to the haze on Saturday (Oct 24), several events in Singapore had to be cancelled or postponed. The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading peaked at 229 in the south at 10am.

Among the events cancelled were the WTA Future Stars youth competition, the Singapore Athletics Inter Club Championships and the Healthy Lifestyle Festival SG roadshow at Hougang Central Hub.

In an advisory, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said a total of 328 hotspots were detected in Sumatra and Kalimantan on Saturday. The air quality in Singapore had been in the Very Unhealthy range since 4am. NEA said the current conditions are expected to continue for the rest of the day.

A total of four hotspots were detected in Sumatra. NEA says this is due to “partial satellite pass”, as parts of central and southern Sumatra continue to be affected by moderate to dense haze. Widespread haze was observed over Kalimantan and “some of the haze continues to spread to our surrounding sea areas”, said NEA.

Hazy and reduced visibility conditions are expected to persist on Sunday with the 24-hour PSI expected to be in the mid-section of the Unhealthy range to the low end of the Very Unhealthy range. It may enter the mid-section of the Very Unhealthy range if denser haze in blown in.

- CNA/ek


Singapore River Festival opens amid hazy skies
Organisers says they are monitoring the Pollutant Standards Index every hour, and if it hits 300, they may decide to cancel the performances.
Alice Chia Channel NewsAsia 24 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: Despite the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) being at unhealthy levels, crowds gathered at Clarke Quay Friday (Oct 23), for the opening night of the inaugural Singapore River Festival, which celebrates the role of the river in the nation’s development.

The festival boasts a line-up of artworks and performances by local and international artists over the weekend. Organisers said they are monitoring the PSI every hour, and if it hits 300, they may decide to cancel the performances. They also emphasised that the safety and health of the performers and spectators are of utmost concern, and that they had some masks on standby.

The festival's headline act is an aerial acrobatic performance by Spanish theatrical group, La Fura dels Baus. It features 42 people forming a “human net”. They will be lifted by a 220-tonne crane, to 30 metres above the river - almost 10 storeys high. The show takes places on Friday and Saturday at 8pm and 10pm.

In line with the festival’s theme of “Celebrating Singapore River stories”, there will also be activities taking place across Boat Quay, Clarke Quay and Robertson Quay. These include a ten-day public art exhibition along the alleyways of Circular Road at Boat Quay. Curated by multi-disciplinary group Kult, it features larger-than-life installations by over 30 local and international artists based in Singapore.

There will also be puppet and storytelling shows at the river promenade outside UOB at Boat Quay. These take place on Oct 23 and 24 at 7.30pm and 9pm.

- CNA