2006 Malaysian haze
Encyclopedia
Slash and burn
Slash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
" cultivation in Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, and affected several countries in the Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia, South-East Asia, South East Asia or Southeastern Asia is a subregion of Asia, consisting of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India, west of New Guinea and north of Australia. The region lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic...
n region and beyond, such as Malaysia, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, southern Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
, and as far as Saipan
Saipan
Saipan is the largest island of the United States Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands , a chain of 15 tropical islands belonging to the Marianas archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean with a total area of . The 2000 census population was 62,392...
; the effects of the haze may have spread to South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
. Local sources of pollution partly contributed to the increased toxicity
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
, particularly in high-pollution areas such as port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
s, oil refineries, and dense urban areas. In the highly urbanised and industrialised Klang Valley
Klang Valley
Klang Valley is an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. An alternative reference to this would be Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area or Greater Kuala Lumpur. It is geographically delineated by Titiwangsa Mountains to the...
of Malaysia in particular, the surrounding terrain acted as a natural retainer of polluted air, aggravating the situation when the haze
Haze
Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. The World Meteorological Organization manual of codes includes a classification of horizontal obscuration into categories of fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic...
set in.
There is also a link to El Niño. The haze was made worse than during previous occurrences by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation
El Niño-Southern Oscillation
El Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO, is a quasiperiodic climate pattern that occurs across the tropical Pacific Ocean roughly every five years...
which delayed the year's monsoon season. Fires in Kalimantan produce great amounts of smoke, burn a long time and are difficult to extinguish because they are on peat
Peat
Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed vegetation matter or histosol. Peat forms in wetland bogs, moors, muskegs, pocosins, mires, and peat swamp forests. Peat is harvested as an important source of fuel in certain parts of the world...
land, and once lit the fires can burn for months and release gases that produce sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid
Sulfuric acid is a strong mineral acid with the molecular formula . Its historical name is oil of vitriol. Pure sulfuric acid is a highly corrosive, colorless, viscous liquid. The salts of sulfuric acid are called sulfates...
.
Air quality across the region appeared to improve in late October as heavy rainfall doused fires in Indonesia.
Brunei
BruneiBrunei
Brunei , officially the State of Brunei Darussalam or the Nation of Brunei, the Abode of Peace , is a sovereign state located on the north coast of the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia...
, an independent sultanate that is surrounded by East Malaysia
East Malaysia
East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are...
's Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
state on Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, had been affected by the haze from Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
. Rains brought some relief, and on October 8, the Pollutant Standards Index
Pollutant Standards Index
The Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI, provides a uniform system of measuring pollution levels for the major air pollutants. It is based on a scale devised by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to provide a way for broadcasts and newspapers to report air quality on a daily basis.The...
had dropped to 46, which is within the "good" range. There was a brief spell of clear skies during the first week of Hari Raya, following a spell of rainy weather. But the haze returned on October 31, with the Department of Environment, Parks and Recreation recording a PSI of 49.
Indonesia
The fires originated mostly in KalimantanKalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
, the Indonesian part of Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
, and on Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
, where they are set by swidden agriculturists employed by agroforestry concerns to clear land in order to grow pulp woods or market crops ahead of the growing
Tillage
Tillage is the agricultural preparation of the soil by mechanical agitation of various types, such as digging, stirring, and overturning. Examples of human-powered tilling methods using hand tools include shovelling, picking, mattock work, hoeing, and raking...
season. Satellite images taken over Borneo on October 4 showed 561 "hot spots" indicating areas where fires had been set.
Officials in neighbouring countries accused Indonesian officials of doing nothing to stop the fires, though forestry ministry officials said they had firefighters working to douse the blazes on state-controlled land. However, they conceded, most of the fires were on private land. Indonesia planned to deploy its military to aid fire fighting effort. To recruit more people to man the fire line, the government offered two days off for civil servants who volunteered for fire duty. But the country lacks equipment for fighting forest fires, having airplanes that are too small to carry enough water. In a bid to obtain bigger aircraft, the government leased two Beriev Be-200
Beriev Be-200
The Beriev Be-200 Altair is a multipurpose amphibious aircraft designed by the Beriev Aircraft Company and manufactured by Irkut. Marketed as being designed for fire fighting, search and rescue, maritime patrol, cargo, and passenger transportation, it has a capacity of 12 tonnes of water, or up...
from Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, which are capable of skimming over water and taking on loads for sustained firefighting efforts. The planes, which will be flown by Russians and maintained by Russian technicians, were due to begin operations on November 1.
The fires have closed schools, delayed and cancelled airline flights, disrupted shipping and forced Indonesians to don face mask
Face mask
Strictly, the expression face mask is tautological and means "mask", because masks by definition go on the face; but it is sometimes used to mean:*Respirator*Among divers, diving mask...
s. Cities affected include Pontianak
Pontianak, Indonesia
Pontianak is the capital of the Indonesian province of West Kalimantan. It is a medium-size industrial city on the island of Borneo. Pontianak occupies an area of 107.82 km² in the delta of the Kapuas River...
, West Kalimantan
West Kalimantan
West Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia. It is one of four Indonesian provinces in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its capital city Pontianak is located right on the Equator....
, Palangkaraya
Palangkaraya
Palangka Raya is the capital city of the Indonesian province Central Kalimantan, situated between the Kayahan and the Sabangau rivers. The population of the municipality is 170,761. The closest airport serving the city is Tjilik Riwut.- History :...
, Central Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia, one of four in Kalimantan - the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its provincial capital is Palangka Raya.The province has a population of just over 2.2 million at the 2010 Census...
and Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru
Pekanbaru is the capital of Riau, a province in Indonesia on the island of Sumatra. It has an area of 632.26 km² and a population of 903,902. Located on the Siak River, which drains to the Strait of Malacca...
, Riau. The haze was blamed for a Mandala Airlines
Mandala Airlines
Mandala Airlines was a low-cost airline headquartered in the Mandala Airlines Building in West Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia. Mandala operated scheduled services to 3 international and 17 domestic destinations, used a fleet of narrow body Airbuses. Its main operational base was Soekarno-Hatta...
flight from Balikpapan
Balikpapan
Balikpapan is a seaport city on the eastern coast of the island of Borneo, Indonesia, in the East Kalimantan province, a resource-rich region well known for its timber, mining, and petroleum export products. Two harbors, Semayang and Kariangau , and the Sepinggan International Airport are the main...
, the provincial capital of East Kalimantan
East Kalimantan
East Kalimantan is the second largest Indonesian province, located on the Kalimantan region on the east of Borneo island. The resource-rich province has two major cities, Samarinda and Balikpapan...
, skidding off the runway upon landing at Tarakan
Tarakan, East Kalimantan
Tarakan, located on Tarakan Island is one of the major cities in eastern Borneo, just across the border from Sabah, Malaysia. Once a major oil producing region during colonial period, Tarakan had great strategic importance during the Pacific War and was among the first Japanese targets early in the...
on October 3, when visibility was reported at around 400 metres. It has caused breathing problems for people in Riau and in Jambi Province. On 21 October, 12 airlines cancelled domestic flights from Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Soekarno-Hatta International Airport
Soekarno–Hatta International Airport , popularly abbreviated SHIA or Soetta is the main airport serving the greater Jakarta area on the island of Java, Indonesia. The airport is named after the first President of Indonesia, Soekarno, and the first vice-president, Mohammad Hatta. The airport is...
due to smog at many destinations, including Jambi, Banjarmasin
Banjarmasin
Banjarmasin is the capital of South Kalimantan, Indonesia. It is located on a delta island near the junction of the Barito and Martapura rivers. As a result, Banjarmasin is sometimes called the "River City"...
, Jayapura
Jayapura
Jayapura City is the capital of Papua province, Indonesia, on the island of New Guinea. It is situated on Yos Sudarso Bay . Its approximate population in 2002 was 200,000....
, Semarang
Semarang
- Economy :The western part of the city is home to many industrial parks and factories. The port of Semarang is located on the north coast and it is the main shipping port for the province of Central Java. Many small manufacturers are located in Semarang, producing goods such as textiles,...
, Surabaya
Surabaya
Surabaya is Indonesia's second-largest city with a population of over 2.7 million , and the capital of the province of East Java...
, Bengkulu
Bengkulu
Bengkulu is a province of Indonesia. It is on the southwest coast of the island of Sumatra, and borders the provinces of West Sumatra, Jambi, South Sumatra and Lampung. The capital and largest city is Bengkulu city. It was formerly the site of a British garrison, which they called Bencoolen...
, Denpasar
Denpasar
Denpasar is the capital city of the province of Bali, Indonesia. It has a rapidly expanding population of 788,445 in 2010, up from 533,252 in the previous decade. It is located at .-History:...
, Makassar
Makassar
Makassar, is the provincial capital of South Sulawesi, Indonesia, and the largest city on Sulawesi Island. From 1971 to 1999, the city was named Ujung Pandang, after a precolonial fort in the city, and the two names are often used interchangeably...
, Pekanbaru and Padang
Padang, Indonesia
Padang is the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia. It is located on the western coast of Sumatra at . It has an area of and a population of over 833,000 people at the 2010 Census.-History:...
.
An October 20 report by Malaysian government news agency BERNAMA
BERNAMA
BERNAMA is a news agency of the government of Malaysia. It is an autonomous body placed under the Information, Culture and Communications Ministry. It was set up by an Act of Parliament in 1967 and started work on 26 May 1968....
offered a first-hand account of the scene in Kalimantan: "The suffocating smell of smoke, sore throat and eyes got worse when this reporter and a photographer stepped foot in central Kalimantan, forcing them to put on face masks. Throughout the 200-kilometre journey from Banjarmasin to Palangkaraya, what could be seen of the forests on both sides of the road was a landscape of blackish soil with smoke still billowing from the ground in some areas and of withering trees and plants. The area was foggy and dusty as the air was filled with flying ashes and other particles."
Local villagers, the report said, appeared to be unconcerned with the smog, saying it was "normal". "If we do not burn the forest, where are we going to get our food from?" a villager said.
On the environmental front, fires destroyed 1 km² of the Tesso Nilo National Park
Tesso Nilo National Park
Tesso Nilo National Park is a national park in Riau Province, Sumatra, Indonesia. It was declared a national park by the Indonesian government in 2004....
in Riau Province. At the Tanjung Puting National Park in Central Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan
Central Kalimantan is a province of Indonesia, one of four in Kalimantan - the Indonesian part of the island of Borneo. Its provincial capital is Palangka Raya.The province has a population of just over 2.2 million at the 2010 Census...
, the haze adversely affected the orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s.
Malaysia
The effects of the haze started in early July and affected the northern Malaysian states severely. However, the haze had cleared substantially throughout Peninsular MalaysiaPeninsular Malaysia
Peninsular Malaysia , also known as West Malaysia , is the part of Malaysia which lies on the Malay Peninsula. Its area is . It shares a land border with Thailand in the north. To the south is the island of Singapore. Across the Strait of Malacca to the west lies the island of Sumatra...
from August 29, 2006 due to raining season. The rain reduced the number of hotspots throughout Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula. On the August 30, 2006, The Star
The Star (Malaysia)
The Star is an English-language, tabloid-format newspaper in Malaysia. It is the largest in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the . It has a daily circulation of between 290,000 to 300,000...
reported that Kuala Lumpur would be free of haze during the Independence Day. In the late evening just before midnight on August 31, 2006, the visibility in the Klang Valley was recorded to be very good.
Unfortunately, the haze returned again in late September when Muslim Malaysians were experiencing Ramadan
Ramadan
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, which lasts 29 or 30 days. It is the Islamic month of fasting, in which participating Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, smoking and sex during daylight hours and is intended to teach Muslims about patience, spirituality, humility and...
. This was partly due to a change of wind direction towards the southwest, partially caused by Typhoon Xangsane
Typhoon Xangsane
The name Xangsane has been used to name two tropical cyclones in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. The name was contributed by Laos and is a Laotian word for elephant.* 2000's Typhoon Xangsane - affected the Philippines and Taiwan....
. The worst hit place was Kuching
Kuching
Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia....
. The Sarawak state government had declared that schools would close if the API breaches the 300 mark. The worst affected area in Peninsular Malaysia is Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru
Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland...
which recorded an API of 150 on October 7 and October 8. For now, many people are wearing mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
s to prevent themselves from inhaling excessive amounts of haze. On 7 October, visibility
Visibility
In meteorology, visibility is a measure of the distance at which an object or light can be clearly discerned. It is reported within surface weather observations and METAR code either in meters or statute miles, depending upon the country. Visibility affects all forms of traffic: roads, sailing...
in parts of East Malaysia
East Malaysia
East Malaysia, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia located on the island of Borneo. It consists of the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and the Federal Territory of Labuan. It lies to the east from Peninsular Malaysia , which is located on the Malay Peninsula. The two are...
fell to 300 metres. On or about October 9, the worst of the haze in Peninsular seemed to be in the state of Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan
Negeri Sembilan, one of the 13 states that constitutes Malaysia, lies on the western coast of Peninsular Malaysia, just south of Kuala Lumpur and borders Selangor on the north, Pahang in the east, and Malacca and Johor to the south....
, where visibility
Visibility
In meteorology, visibility is a measure of the distance at which an object or light can be clearly discerned. It is reported within surface weather observations and METAR code either in meters or statute miles, depending upon the country. Visibility affects all forms of traffic: roads, sailing...
in Sepang
Sepang
Sepang is a town and district located in the southern part of the state of Selangor in Malaysia. Formerly a small town, Sepang grew to several recent developments...
fell briefly to 500 metres and the API
Air Pollution Index
The Air Pollution Index is a simple and generalized way to describe the air quality in mainland China, Hong Kong and Malaysia. It is calculated from several sets of air pollution data.-Mainland China:...
in Nilai
Nilai
Nilai is a town located in Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. Due to its proximity, and connection through the KTM to Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, it is a rapidly growing town. Development projects can be seen as one drives around Nilai...
reached 198, before the rain relieved the haze partially. Shortly thereafter changing winds caused conditions to improve rapidly. Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
has started cloud seeding
Cloud seeding
Cloud seeding, a form of intentional weather modification, is the attempt to change the amount or type of precipitation that falls from clouds, by dispersing substances into the air that serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei, which alter the microphysical processes within the cloud...
attempts to try to encourage rainfall that will help relieve the haze. Each cloud seeding session costs at least RM50,000 (roughly US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
14,000). On October 21, the winds has changed direction and started to blow the hazes away from Malaysia, and the following day, heavy rain has cleared the haze. Later on October 26, the heavy rain returned again, and there were isolated showers in Klang Valley
Klang Valley
Klang Valley is an area in Malaysia comprising Kuala Lumpur and its suburbs, and adjoining cities and towns in the state of Selangor. An alternative reference to this would be Kuala Lumpur Metropolitan Area or Greater Kuala Lumpur. It is geographically delineated by Titiwangsa Mountains to the...
. The Star
The Star (Malaysia)
The Star is an English-language, tabloid-format newspaper in Malaysia. It is the largest in terms of circulation in Malaysia, according to the . It has a daily circulation of between 290,000 to 300,000...
reported that the hazy days are soon coming to an end as the monsoon
Monsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
season is approaching.
Air pollution index
| Daily average API readings in October 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | George Town George Town, Penang George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... |
Malacca Town Malacca Town Most tourist attractions are concentrated in its small city centre which encompasses Jonker Walk which houses Malacca's traditional Chinatown that exhibits Peranakan architecture. A Famosa Fort, St. Paul Hill are among the tourist attractions located in the Bandar Hilir, old city area. There are... |
Johor Bahru Johor Bahru Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland... |
Kuantan Kuantan Kuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu... |
Kuching Kuching Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia.... |
| 1 | 38 | 27 | 26 | 50 | 53 | 93 |
| 2 | 28 | 38 | 46 | 48 | 46 | 112 |
| 3 | 50 | 38 | 57 | 82 | 52 | 125 |
| 4 | 60 | 82 | 91 | 66 | 78 | 179 |
| 5 | 68 | 93 | 103 | 69 | 86 | 163 |
| 6 | 61 | 101 | 96 | 108 | 80 | 136 |
| 7 | 81 | 101 | 94 | 157 | 100 | Unavailable |
| 8 | 63 | 68 | 124 | 134 | 139 | 78 |
| 9 | 63 | 157 | 98 | 66 | 88 | 78 |
| 10 | 28 | 90 | 84 | 77 | 84 | 72 |
| 11 | 26 | 70 | 134 | 94 | 78 | 71 |
| 12 | 27 | 64 | 170 | 99 | 71 | 80 |
| 13 | 49 | 79 | 69 | 71 | 72 | 80 |
| 14 | 63 | 93 | 85 | 89 | 80 | 81 |
| 15 | 69 | 85 | 90 | 132 | 98 | 78 |
| 16 | 62 | 78 | 110 | 114 | 108 | 61 |
| 17 | 60 | 97 | 112 | 129 | 110 | 68 |
| 18 | 60 | 106 | 90 | 124 | 87 | 68 |
| 19 | 57 | 100 | 84 | 105 | 75 | 70 |
| 20 | 57 | 87 | 91 | 128 | 69 | 63 |
| 21 | 41 | 75 | 82 | 109 | 66 | 75 |
| 22 | 37 | 79 | 76 | 95 | 60 | 70 |
| 23 | 34 | 80 | 73 | 95 | 65 | 66 |
| 24 | 41 | 76 | 74 | 87 | 61 | 53 |
| 25 | 47 | 43 | 26 | 55 | 42 | 32 |
| 26 | 31 | 36 | 37 | 49 | 41 | 33 |
| 27 | 24 | 28 | 34 | 43 | 52 | 35 |
| 28 | 28 | 49 | 52 | 57 | 46 | 53 |
| 29 | 26 | 39 | 60 | 60 | 48 | 49 |
| 30 | 28 | 42 | 42 | 60 | 51 | 51 |
| 31 | 24 | 50 | 52 | 72 | 53 | 78 |
| Daily average API readings in November 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | George Town George Town, Penang George Town was voted as one of the best cities in Asia by Asiaweek, ranked 6th in 1998 and 9th in 2000. More recently, George Town has improved a notch to rank as the 9th most liveable city in Asia in a survey of 254 cities worldwide according to an international location ratings survey by , an... |
Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million... |
Malacca Town Malacca Town Most tourist attractions are concentrated in its small city centre which encompasses Jonker Walk which houses Malacca's traditional Chinatown that exhibits Peranakan architecture. A Famosa Fort, St. Paul Hill are among the tourist attractions located in the Bandar Hilir, old city area. There are... |
Johor Bahru Johor Bahru Johor Bahru is the capital city of Johor in southern Malaysia. Johor Bahru is the southernmost city of the Eurasian mainland... |
Kuantan Kuantan Kuantan is the state capital of Pahang, the 3rd largest state in Malaysia. It is situated near the mouth of the Kuantan River and faces the South China Sea. If one measures the distance along the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it is located roughly halfway between Singapore and Kota Bharu... |
Kuching Kuching Kuching , officially the City of Kuching, and formerly the City of Sarawak, is the capital and most populous city of the East Malaysian state of Sarawak. It is the largest city on the island of Borneo, and the fourth largest city in Malaysia.... |
| 1 | 32 | 54 | 44 | 59 | 42 | 61 |
| 2 | 31 | 33 | 45 | 53 | 40 | 50 |
| 3 | 35 | 44 | 28 | 53 | 36 | 53 |
| 4 | 40 | 60 | 37 | 56 | 50 | 60 |
| 5 | 34 | 55 | 35 | 71 | 40 | 73 |
| 6 | 34 | 56 | 58 | 70 | 47 | 69 |
| 7 | 37 | 42 | 61 | 72 | 48 | 54 |
| 8 | 34 | 57 | 46 | 63 | 49 | 52 |
| 9 | 47 | 58 | 41 | 62 | 49 | 51 |
| 10 | 42 | 51 | 31 | 52 | 48 | 40 |
| 11 | 31 | 43 | 28 | 49 | 39 | 33 |
| 12 | 27 | 44 | 32 | 46 | 42 | 38 |
| 13 | 22 | 34 | 22 | 46 | 43 | 35 |
| 14 | 33 | 36 | 45 | 58 | 51 | 36 |
0-50 Good
51-100 Moderate
101-200 Unhealthy
201-300 Very unhealthy
301- Hazardous
Singapore
While the haze largely spared Singapore with 24-hour Pollutant Standards IndexPollutant Standards Index
The Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI, provides a uniform system of measuring pollution levels for the major air pollutants. It is based on a scale devised by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to provide a way for broadcasts and newspapers to report air quality on a daily basis.The...
readings within the "Good" range for 15 days in September and the rest in the "Moderate" range and no higher than a reading of 66, its harmful effects became more prevalent in October.
On October 7, 2006, the 3-hour PSI reading breached the 100 mark at 8 a.m. and entered unhealthy levels for the first time in the year, as winds from neighbouring Sumatra
Sumatra
Sumatra is an island in western Indonesia, westernmost of the Sunda Islands. It is the largest island entirely in Indonesia , and the sixth largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 with a population of 50,365,538...
blew the haze to Singapore. At 10 a.m., it hit 130, the highest in three years, before subsiding to 80 at 4 p.m. and climbing rapidly to 150 at 9 p.m., the worst since 1997, before ending the day at 136, still in the unhealthy range.
Although the air quality was set to improve with the arrival of the Northeast monsoon rains in mid-October, southeasterly winds extended the hazy season. A mild El Niño effect delayed the starting of the showers to late October or early November, or even until the end of November. The prolonged haze could be attributed to the extended dry season, which put the rains on hold and affected wind patterns which brought the haze to Singapore. Intermittent showers could occur in the pre-monsoon period, but these would do little in increasing air quality. The unpredictable winds in the pre-monsoon period could bring haze from either Sumatra or Kalimantan.
Air quality remained in the moderate range for the next week until October 14, when the 3-hour PSI readings gradually increased from 53 at 6 a.m. to peak at an unhealthy 116 at 10 p.m. This time, majority of the haze came from Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
.
Similarly, on October 15, the PSI readings increased from 69 at 6 a.m. to 98 at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., 3 points short of reaching the unhealthy range. This eased to 82 by midnight. As winds remained southeasterly, haze from Kalimantan blew across the South China Sea
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea that is part of the Pacific Ocean, encompassing an area from the Singapore and Malacca Straits to the Strait of Taiwan of around...
to Singapore.
The next day, on October 16, the PSI stayed in the 80s in the morning, before shooting up once again into the unhealthy range, hitting a high of 130 at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. The 3-hour PSI remained in unhealthy levels for 8 consecutive hours, between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. The haze obscured the sun, and symptoms of exposure to haze resurfaced in the general population. The 24-hour PSI for October 16 reached 98, just 3 points short of unhealthy. Visibility dropped to as low as 1 km in some areas, compared to the usual 20 km.
The PSI on October 17 gradually increased from the moderate range in the morning to slip into the unhealthy range at 4 p.m., reaching 106, before declining back to 100 in the moderate range at 10 p.m. The hazy conditions were expected to persist.
On October 19, the PSI crept into the unhealthy range at 106 at 2 p.m., peaking at 113 at 4 p.m. The National Environment Agency reported that the situation would not improve the next day.
Throughout the early morning on October 20, the PSI kept in the 90s, before reaching a high of 103 at 8 a.m. This dropped to 74 by 7 p.m., although the PSI remained in the 90s in the afternoon. Even though rain fell in some areas, this was not enough to "alleviate the haze situation". The NEA forecast thunderstorms over the weekend, but the southeasterly winds would continue to prevail. The 24-hour PSI on October 20 also reached the unhealthy range at 102.
Later in October, though, the situation began to improve, with the PSI hitting a low of 11 at 2 p.m. on October 26.
However, in early November, intermonsoonal winds brought slight haze back to Singapore, with the 3-hour PSI in the moderate range most of the time.
The highest 3-hour average PSI ever recorded was 226 in September 1997.
Impact
While some Singaporeans began donning face masks, others frequented shopping malls and public places like VivoCityVivoCity
VivoCity is the largest shopping mall in Singapore. Located in the HarbourFront precinct, it was designed by the Japanese architect Toyo Ito. Its name is derived from the word vivacity...
, with many shopping before Deepavali at Little India
Little India, Singapore
Little India is an ethnic neighbourhood found in Singapore that has Tamil cultural elements. Little India lies to east of the Singapore River—across from Chinatown, located west of the river—and north of Kampong Glam. Both areas are part of the urban planning area of Rochor...
, and going to Geylang Serai's annual Hari Raya bazaar. Stallholders said that the haze had not affected their business. However, Singaporeans generally kept indoors, with some staying away from East Coast Park
East Coast Park
The East Coast Park is a beach park located on the southeastern coast of Singapore. It was opened in the 1970s, when the government completed reclaiming land off the coast at Katong which extends from Changi to Tanjong Rhu...
.
The government announced plans for a haze action plan if the situation became "extremely dangerous", which included priority treatment for haze-related illnesses. Health Minister Khaw Boon Wan
Khaw Boon Wan
Khaw Boon Wan is a politician from Singapore. He is currently the country's Minister for National Development and the Chairman of the governing People's Action Party . He was previously the Minister for Health from August 2004 to May 2011...
said that there was "very little that (could) be done to stop the haze", and advised people to remain indoors, especially those with prior respiratory conditions.
Some minor haze-related illness began to surface, but free clinics across the island did not report any increase in patients with this symptoms. However, attendance figures at Polyclinic
Polyclinic
Polyclinics in England are intended to offer a far greater range of services than can be offered by current general practitioner practices and local health centres. In addition to traditional GP services they would offer extended urgent care, healthy living services, community mental health...
s islandwide increased by 600 cases to about 15,000 cases of haze-related conditions in the first week of October as compared to the same period last month. This is despite the National Healthcare Group
National Healthcare Group
National Healthcare Group is a Singapore group of healthcare institutions. The group was formed in 2000 and has one public hospital across the island, three specialist centres and runs eight polyclinics as well. The group operates Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the Institute of Mental Health...
reporting that the number of people "complaining of the same ailments" has decreased from the same period last year.
Air purifier
Air purifier
An air purifier is a device which removes contaminants from the air. These devices are commonly marketed as being beneficial to allergy sufferers and asthmatics, and at reducing or eliminating second-hand tobacco smoke...
sales shot up during the hazy period. Best Denki
Best Denki
is a Japanese electronics retailer with outlets across Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Kuwait. Best Denki headquarters is located in Fukuoka. Previously, in Singapore, it was known as "Yaohan Best", when it started operations there in 1985. After Yaohan's bankruptcy,...
, an electronic store, sold S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
350,000 worth of air purifiers and related items in 4 days, a 300 percent increase. However, experts from the Institute of Environmental Science & Engineering at the Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University
Nanyang Technological University is one of the two largest public universities in Singapore with the biggest campus in Singapore and the world's largest engineering college. Its lush 200-hectare Yunnan Garden campus was the Youth Olympic Village of the world's first 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in...
said that only some of these products, like High Efficiency Particulate air filter
Air filter
A particulate air filter is a device composed of fibrous materials which removes solid particulates such as dust, pollen, mold, and bacteria from the air. A chemical air filter consists of an absorbent or catalyst for the removal of airborne molecular contaminants such as volatile organic compounds...
s, would effectively remove small particles from air. Other kinds of air purifiers like ionizing purifiers gave off ozone
Ozone
Ozone , or trioxygen, is a triatomic molecule, consisting of three oxygen atoms. It is an allotrope of oxygen that is much less stable than the diatomic allotrope...
which could cause symptoms similar to those caused by the haze. The experts recommended regularly cleaning the filter media and opening windows to get some fresh air at night.
The western region
West Region, Singapore
The West Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. Comprising 25,500 hectares of land area, it is the largest of all regions, it includes twelve urban planning areas and has at least a population of over 1 million. As its name implies, it is the westernmost region of Singapore...
, which includes Boon Lay
Boon Lay
Boon Lay is a residential precinct in Jurong, named after Mr , a prominent businessman in the late 19th century and early 20th century who owned the land where the precinct stands, when a requisition of 1.012km² of land from his estate was done by the war department of the then colonial government...
, Choa Chu Kang
Choa Chu Kang
Choa Chu Kang is a major residential town and neighbourhood and is a suburban area in the West Region of Singapore...
and Jurong
Jurong
Jurong is the largest town in the western part of Singapore, consisting of 11 residential precincts, 14 industrial districts, 1 military zone and 1 Waterfront district. It resembles Woodlands, the largest town in the northern part of Singapore, which is smaller in size, has smaller industrial area...
, seemed to be the "epicentre" of the haze. Residents there complained of the worse conditions in their area, saying that it felt "hotter than usual", and health problems were more widespread. The air quality levels in the west have consistently been the worst, but only by several points. Some speculated that the more polluted air was caused by the many construction
Construction
In the fields of architecture and civil engineering, construction is a process that consists of the building or assembling of infrastructure. Far from being a single activity, large scale construction is a feat of human multitasking...
sites and industrial park
Industrial park
An industrial park is an area zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development...
s in Jurong and Tuas
Tuas
Tuas is largely an industrial zone located in the western part of Singapore. The Tuas Planning Area is located within the West Region, and is bounded by Tengeh Reservoir to the north, Strait of Johor to the west, Straits of Singapore to the south, and the Pan Island Expressway to the east.It is...
, but NEA refuted this, claiming that they did not contribute to the haze. Polyclinics in Jurong and Bukit Batok have an increase of 20 percent for patients with respiratory problems and asthma
Asthma
Asthma is the common chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by variable and recurring symptoms, reversible airflow obstruction, and bronchospasm. Symptoms include wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath...
.
Schools islandwide restricted outdoor activities and had to rethink post-examination activities and training or revert to wet-weather programmes. The Singapore Sports School
Singapore Sports School
The Singapore Sports School is a specialized independent school in Singapore. It was initiated by the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports , and caters to sporting teenagers who have talent in sports....
's swim team had to cut back on training when the haze reached unhealthy levels even though they were in the midst of various international competitions. The Ministry of Education
Ministry of Education (Singapore)
The Ministry Of Education is a ministry of the Government of Singapore that directs the formulation and implementation of policies related to education in Singapore.-Statutory boards:...
recommended that schools suspend all outdoor activities when the PSI reading passes 100, but some schools chose to move indoors regardless of the PSI.
Many Singaporean "fitness buffs" have also made the move indoors. Fitness clubs reported increases in turn-outs and check-ins, utilizing gym
Gym
The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, that mean a locality for both physical and intellectual education of young men...
facilities rather than outdoor activities. Rock climbers
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
were also affected, and began to move activities indoors instead.
The haze has also caused increased sales and rental of entertainment VCD
Video CD
Before the advent of DVD and Blu-ray, the Video CD became the first format for distributing films on standard 120 mm optical discs. The format is a standard digital format for storing video on a Compact Disc...
and DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
titles, but cinema attendance is unchanged.
The National Environment Agency website received about 170,000 hits on 14 October, as compared to the usual 60,000, and caused the server to temporarily go down due to the sheer volume of traffic.
According to economists, Singapore has suffered a US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
50 million economic loss due to this year's onset of haze.
PSI readings
| 24-hour PSI readings in October 2006 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | North North Region, Singapore The North Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. Comprising 13,500 hectares of land area, it includes eight urban planning areas and has a population of at least 400,000... |
South Central Area In Singapore, the Central Area or Central Business District contains the core financial and commercial districts, including eleven urban planning areas, namely Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South, Museum, Newton, Orchard, Outram, River Valley, Rochor, Singapore River and Straits View as... |
East East Region, Singapore The East Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. It includes six urban planning areas. As its name implies, it is the easternmost region of Singapore.The land area is about 11,000 hectares.-Urban planning areas in East Region:... |
West West Region, Singapore The West Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. Comprising 25,500 hectares of land area, it is the largest of all regions, it includes twelve urban planning areas and has at least a population of over 1 million. As its name implies, it is the westernmost region of Singapore... |
Central Central Region, Singapore The Central Region of Singapore is one of the five regions in the city-state. Comprising 13,150 hectares of land area, it includes 11 Planning Areas within the Central Area which is the immediate vicinity of the Singapore's central business district, as well as another 11 more outside it.Although... |
Overall |
| 1 | 40 | 41 | 38 | 34 | 37 | 41 |
| 2 | 70 | 73 | 71 | 68 | 70 | 73 |
| 3 | 55 | 62 | 54 | 61 | 58 | 62 |
| 4 | 39 | 51 | 39 | 52 | 41 | 52 |
| 5 | 49 | 53 | 41 | 54 | 45 | 54 |
| 6 | 56 | 65 | 55 | 80 | 57 | 80 |
| 7 | 117 | 128 | 101 | 122 | 112 | 128 |
| 8 | 73 | 86 | 71 | 109 | 80 | 109 |
| 9 | 49 | 52 | 50 | 52 | 52 | 52 |
| 10 | 59 | 56 | 57 | 59 | 55 | 59 |
| 11 | 67 | 64 | 60 | 71 | 70 | 71 |
| 12 | 65 | 63 | 60 | 71 | 66 | 71 |
| 13 | 50 | 46 | 43 | 54 | 47 | 54 |
| 14 | 63 | 57 | 58 | 72 | 57 | 72 |
| 15 | 92 | 89 | 93 | 93 | 88 | 93 |
| 16 | 89 | 94 | 91 | 98 | 92 | 98 |
| 17 | 85 | 80 | 86 | 92 | 84 | 92 |
| 18 | 84 | 78 | 75 | 92 | 79 | 92 |
| 19 | 76 | 71 | 73 | 81 | 72 | 81 |
| 20 | 97 | 98 | 96 | 102 | 96 | 102 |
| 21 | 75 | 79 | 75 | 81 | 81 | 81 |
| 22 | 73 | 71 | 67 | 74 | 73 | 74 |
| 23 | 74 | 81 | 79 | 77 | 80 | 81 |
| 24 | 52 | 46 | 45 | 58 | 51 | 58 |
| 25 | 38 | 33 | 33 | 44 | 38 | 44 |
| 26 | 31 | 29 | 32 | 38 | 36 | 38 |
| 27 | 29 | 22 | 24 | 31 | 28 | 31 |
| 28 | 39 | 38 | 38 | 46 | 42 | 46 |
| 29 | 52 | 45 | 37 | 52 | 50 | 52 |
| 30 | 52 | 50 | 50 | 53 | 51 | 53 |
| 31 | 55 | 51 | 48 | 56 | 53 | 56 |
| Avg | 62.7 | 62.9 | 59.3 | 68.6 | 62.6 | 69.4 |
0-50 Good
51-100 Moderate
101-200 Unhealthy
201-300 Very unhealthy
301- Hazardous
Thailand
In July, the southern ThaiThailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
provinces of Pattani
Pattani Province
Pattani is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Narathiwat, Yala and Songkhla.-Geography:...
and Satun
Satun Province
Satun is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Trang, Phatthalung and Songkhla...
suffered an on-and-off bout of smog
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution; the word "smog" is a portmanteau of smoke and fog. Modern smog is a type of air pollution derived from vehicular emission from internal combustion engines and industrial fumes that react in the atmosphere with sunlight to form secondary pollutants that also combine...
, with the levels of pollutants in Satun being high enough to constitute a health hazard. In all, seven provinces were affected by the haze in July and August.
Haze was again reported on 6 October, with respiratory illnesses and eye irritation reported in Narathiwat
Narathiwat Province
Narathiwat is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Yala and Pattani. To the south it borders the Malaysian state of Kelantan. The southern railway line ends in this province that is one of the nation’s five provinces that borders Malaysia. The name of this...
. Visibility and air quality were also affected in Songkhla
Songkhla Province
Songkhla is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Satun, Phatthalung, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Pattani and Yala. To the south it borders Kedah and Perlis of Malaysia....
, Satun and Yala
Yala Province
Yala is the southernmost province of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Songkhla, Pattani and Narathiwat. Yala is the only land-locked province in the south of Thailand...
. Health warnings were issued and surgical mask
Surgical mask
A surgical mask also known as a procedure mask is intended to be worn by health professionals during surgery and at other times to catch the bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the wearer's mouth and nose....
s were issued to residents. Three days later, meteorological officials reported that the haze had thinned to almost normal visibility.
Strong winds in the region brought haze from Indonesia back into Songkhla, Satun, Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat provinces on October 17. Visibility in Yala and Songkhla was reduced to less than a kilometre, and officials warned fishermen going out to the Andaman Sea
Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea or Burma Sea is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Burma, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands, India; it is part of the Indian Ocean....
and Gulf of Thailand
Gulf of Thailand
The Gulf of Thailand , also known in to Malays as Teluk Siam literally meant Gulf of Siam, is a shallow arm of the South China Sea.-Geography:...
to "stay vigilant". Drivers were also asked to turn on their headlights.
ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transboundary Haze Pollution
Malaysia and Singapore criticized the way Indonesia handled the issue. Both urged the latter to ratify the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze PollutionASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution
The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution is an environmental agreement signed in 2002 between all ASEAN nations to reduce haze pollution in Southeast Asia...
. The Malaysian Environment Minister Azmi Khalid
Azmi Khalid
Dato' Seri Azmi Khalid is a Member of Parliament in Malaysia for the constituency of Padang Besar in Perlis. He is a member of UMNO in the ruling Barisan Nasional coalition....
said "Frustration is an understatement", directed toward Indonesia. There was also a protest in front of the Indonesia embassy in Kuala Lumpur, organized by local political parties. Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed disappointment toward Indonesia soon after Azmi Khalid made his view public. In response to the letter, Indonesian President apologized for the regional haze. Indonesia has earlier stated that it lacked the resources to combat the burning effectively.
Singapore proposed regional talks on the haze, to be held in Singapore. Indonesia, however, requested such talks to be held in Pekan Baru, Kalimantan
Kalimantan
In English, the term Kalimantan refers to the Indonesian portion of the island of Borneo, while in Indonesian, the term "Kalimantan" refers to the whole island of Borneo....
instead. The request was agreed to and talks were held on 13 October 2006. At the meeting, Malaysia proposed the setting up of a regional fund to help combat the environmental disaster.
With the arrival of the northeastern winter monsoons in December, the haze problem was effectively ended for 2006.
See also
- 1997 Southeast Asian haze1997 Southeast Asian hazeThe 1997 Southeast Asian haze was a large-scale air quality disaster which occurred during the second half of 1997, its after-effects causing widespread atmospheric visibility and health problems within Southeast Asia...
- 2005 Malaysian haze2005 Malaysian hazeThe 2005 Malaysian haze was a week-long choking smog-like haze over Malaysia that almost brought the central part of Peninsular Malaysia to a standstill, prompted crisis talks with Indonesia and caused widespread inconvenience. The haze was at its worst on August 11, 2005...
- 2010 Southeast Asian haze
- Air Quality IndexAir Quality IndexAir quality is defined as a measure of the condition of air relative to the requirements of one or more biotic species or to any human need or purpose. Air quality indices are numbers used by government agencies to characterize the quality of the air at a given location...
- HazeHazeHaze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky. The World Meteorological Organization manual of codes includes a classification of horizontal obscuration into categories of fog, ice fog, steam fog, mist, haze, smoke, volcanic...
- Pollutant Standards IndexPollutant Standards IndexThe Pollutant Standards Index, or PSI, provides a uniform system of measuring pollution levels for the major air pollutants. It is based on a scale devised by the United States Environmental Protection Agency to provide a way for broadcasts and newspapers to report air quality on a daily basis.The...
- Slash and burnSlash and burnSlash-and-burn is an agricultural technique which involves cutting and burning of forests or woodlands to create fields. It is subsistence agriculture that typically uses little technology or other tools. It is typically part of shifting cultivation agriculture, and of transhumance livestock...
- Asian brown cloudAsian brown cloudThe Asian brown cloud is a layer of air pollution that covers parts of South Asia, namely the northern Indian Ocean, India, and Pakistan. Viewed from satellite photos, the cloud appears as a giant brown stain hanging in the air over much of South Asia and the Indian Ocean every year between January...
External links
- http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1195 Latest schematic of area affected by haze over the region
- http://app.nea.gov.sg/cms/htdocs/article.asp?pid=1674 Latest hotspot map
- National Environment Agency -online forms Current PSI readings in Singapore
- Haze alert News archive at Channel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsiaChannel NewsAsia is an English language pan-Asian news network based in Singapore and owned by MediaCorp. Started on 1 March 1999 based in Singapore by Television Corporation of Singapore, it was launched internationally on 12 February 2001 as the international broadcasting arm of Channel...