Singapore haze: A smoky haze wrought by forest fires in neighboring Indonesia worsened dramatically Thursday. The Pollutant Standards Index, Singapore’s main measure for air pollution, surged to a record reading of 371, breaching the “hazardous” classification that can aggravate respiratory ailments. The previous all-time high before this week was in 1997, when the index reached 226.
“This is now the worst haze that Singapore has ever faced,” Singapore’s Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan wrote on his Facebook page. “No country or corporation has the right to pollute the air at the expense of Singaporeans’ health and well-being.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
