EMB: Haze may affect parts of Philippines until September 3
MANILA, Philippines – Parts of the Philippines may continue to be affected by the haze from Indonesia until September 3, according to an Environment and Management Bureau (EMB) official.
This is due to the smoke “still being transported by the prevailing southwest monsoon while fires remain active.” Air quality may improve in the following days (from September 4 to 6) if rainfall remains widespread and wind patterns shift, said EMB environmental quality management division chief Jundy del Socorro.
“Beyond September 6, conditions will depend primarily on whether the fires in Kalimantan continue to generate smoke, whether new hotspots emerge, and whether winds continue to carry smoke toward the Philippines,” Socorro said in a statement Tuesday, September 1.
“If fire activity remains high and transport winds persist, haze episodes could continue despite periodic improvements,” he said.
On Tuesday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued an advisory telling people to limit exposure outdoors. If going out in areas with noticeable haze, people are advised to wear an N95 mask to protect themselves from air pollution.
The Department of Health released a similar advisory and cautioned people of the haze’s effect on their health: coughing, breathing difficulties, watering eyes, itchy nose, and the worsening of respiratory diseases such as asthma.
“The observed haze is possibly associate with smoke and transboundary haze from ongoing fires in Kalimantan, Indonesia, which may have been transported towards the Philippines by prevailing winds,” the DENR said in a statement Tuesday.
Eleven monitoring stations across Metro Manila recorded “acutely unhealthy” air quality on Tuesday, and “very unhealthy” air quality in in Makati, Navotas, and Pateros.
Smoke from forest fires in Indonesia has reached Malaysia, Brunei, and Singapore as well, according to a recent report from Al Jazeera. While parts of the Philippines endure continuous rainfall and flooding, Indonesia was struggling with intense wildfires. – Rappler.com
