Singapore, one of the world’s wealthiest cities, has risen to the top of global air pollution rankings as toxic haze from ongoing forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia continues to affect the region.
According to Swiss air quality monitoring company IQAir, Singapore’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 216, placing it in the ‘very unhealthy’ category.
Singapore’s National Environment Agency has identified persistent dry weather and forest fires across the region as the main causes of the deteriorating air quality. Authorities have advised residents to limit outdoor activities and drink plenty of fluids, while air purifiers have been distributed to schools.
Kuala Lumpur, the Malaysian capital, ranked second on the list of the world’s most polluted cities amid the same regional haze. Classes have been suspended in several Malaysian states, including Johor, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Selangor, due to a sharp deterioration in air quality.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called an emergency meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to discuss the regional crisis.
Indonesia’s Health Ministry reported that more than 175,000 people had experienced respiratory illnesses linked to toxic smoke since August.
Experts attribute the intensifying dry conditions to a strong El Niño event, which can exacerbate drought and increase the risk of wildfires.
The Air Quality Index classifies readings of 0-50 as ‘good,’ 51-100 as ‘moderate,’ 101-150 as ‘unhealthy for sensitive groups,’ 151-200 as ‘unhealthy,’ 201-300 as ‘very unhealthy,’ and 301-500 as ‘hazardous.’