Roger and Stephen in Singapore: June 2013

Wednesday 19 June 2013

A very smokey Singapore

Singapore has been blanketed in heavy smoke from fires burning in nearby Sumatra since the weekend and the current weather conditions will see the the smoke stay until the early next week. Monday night the smoke haze was the worst this country had seen in 16 years and the air reading was considered unhealthy.
The smoke is coming from farmers clearing their crops in preparation for the next season plantings. Due to dry conditions and little wind in Singapore has led to the worst than normal haze that the fires bring each year.
The Singapore Government is advising people to exercise caution in outdoor activity during this period and schools have cancelled outdoor education while the haze continues.
The Government is also in talks with the Indonesian Government to get Indonesia to prosecute the farmers against the illegal burnings.
Tourist attractions such as the Singapore Flyer and the Marina Bay Sands Skydeck have seen a huge drop in numbers as visibility is so poor. Shops have seen a surge in people buying disposable masks to wear while the conditions continues.