Singapore's air quality plunged to unhealthy levels on Saturday as thick haze from Indonesian forest fires blanketed the city-state, severely reducing visibility across the financial hub.
Air quality monitoring service IQAir recorded a city reading of 190, well into the 'unhealthy' range, at 11.00 am local time (0300GMT), with some areas going above 200, crossing into the 'very unhealthy' levels.
The haze shrouded iconic landmarks including Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer, while buildings and trees disappeared into the smoky gloom.
The deteriorating air quality stems from Indonesia's most intense wildfires in 11 years, driven by 'super-El Niño' weather conditions that have sparked blazes across Borneo and Sumatra islands. More than 12.5 million Indonesians have been exposed to haze from fires spanning seven provinces, with respiratory illness cases more than doubling since early September.
The transboundary haze regularly affects Singapore and Malaysia during Indonesia's dry season, when land clearing for agriculture combines with drought conditions to fuel widespread burning.
