Singapore's Air Quality Returns to Unhealthy Range as Haze Persists - Tempo.co English

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Singapore’s air quality returned to the unhealthy range on Monday, September 14, after four consecutive days of moderate readings, as hotspots and haze persisted in parts of Indonesia. 

Entering the unhealthy range, Singapore’s central region 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached 102 at noon, as CNA reported. By 2 p.m., the reading had risen to 108, while the other four regions recorded readings between 83 and 96. 

The National Environment Agency (NEA) closely monitored Singapore’s air quality. On Monday morning, dry conditions were observed across much of the southern ASEAN region, though parts of Sumatra experienced showers. 

Hotspots were detected in southern Sumatra as well as western, central and southern Kalimantan. NEA reported that a smaller number of hotspots were also detected in Peninsular Malaysia and Java. 

Moderate to dense haze was observed over central and southern Sumatra and western and central Kalimantan. Transboundary haze was also reported in parts of Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia and southern Vietnam, where monitoring stations recorded moderate to unhealthy air quality. 

Previously, Singapore’s central-region PSI entered the unhealthy range on September 4 for the first time since 2023, prompting the NEA to begin issuing daily haze advisories. Readings of 101 to 200 are considered unhealthy, while 201 to 300 are very unhealthy and readings above 300 are hazardous under Singapore’s PSI classification.