Haze Officially Hits ‘Unhealthy’ Levels At 4pm In West S’pore, NEA Advises To Stay Indoors

Haze Hits ‘Unhealthy’ Levels In West Singapore As PSI Reading Exceeds 100

Update (14 Sep, 7pm): PSI level in Western Singapore has deteriorated to 109. Similarly, readings for Southern Singapore stands at 100, a value shy of hitting the ‘Unhealthy’ category.

We believe many of you awoke to pungent burning smells today (14 Sep), accompanied by particularly hazy views.

The hazy views in Jurong West
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The thick veils of smog were only sign of what’s to come, as haze in West Singapore officially hit ‘Unhealthy’ levels as of 4pm.

Meanwhile, Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) levels remain in the Moderate region for the rest of Singapore.

Haze hits ‘Unhealthy’ range for 1st time in 3 years

According to the NEA website, the 24-hours PSI levels for West Singapore stands at 103 as of 4pm.

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For the record, any PSI reading between 101 and 200 falls under the ‘Unhealthy’ category.

This is the first time that the PSI has exceeded 100 in the past 3 years, reports Channel NewsAsia (CNA).

On the other hand, 24-hours PSI readings for the rest of the island are significantly lower, ranging from 86 to 97, which fall under the Moderate range.

Singaporeans with pre-existing conditions should not go outdoors

NEA also issued a statement on its Facebook page at around 4.10pm.

Here’s their statement in full.

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In summary, with PSI levels now falling under the ‘Unhealthy’ category, the Agency is urging Singaporeans with pre-existing medical conditions like chronic lung and heart disease to minimise prolonged outdoor exposure.

The elderly, pregnant ladies, and children, in particular, should also follow the same advice.

We hope the haze will pass soon

As the haze shows no signs of abating today, it’s best to notify your family and friends to take the necessary measures to protect themselves from pollutants.

We hope this is just a temporary spike, and that our air quality will return to healthy levels soon so everyone can go about their daily activities normally.

Featured image adapted from Facebook and Facebook.