1 day ago
51
Singapore, the Southeast Asian financial hub known for its futuristic skyline, has been blanketed by milky haze as smoke from fires in neighboring Indonesia drifts across the region.
The haze has affected Singapore for weeks, with conditions deteriorating in recent days. The pollution has disrupted flights, shut down outdoor sports facilities, and prompted organizers to call off a major running event.
On Friday, air quality in parts of Singapore reached "very unhealthy" levels, with pollution readings hitting their highest point this year.
Here's what the haze looks like across the city.
Singapore's landmark skyline fades into the haze
Marina Bay Sands, the three-towered hotel overlooking Singapore's waterfront, has been shrouded in a milky haze.
Singapore's environmental agency said winds were carrying smoke from fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan region toward the city-state.
Pollution has hit its highest level this year
On Friday, air quality across much of Singapore reached the "very unhealthy" range on the country's Pollutant Standards Index.
At that level, authorities recommend avoiding prolonged or strenuous outdoor activity.
The PSI has been in the unhealthy range since October 5, making it 12 days of poor air in the city.
The last time things looked this foggy in Singapore was during a 14-day period of hazy conditions in 2015. The country has seen shorter episodes of haze conditions in 2019 and 2023, but those blew over within a couple of days.
The haze is affecting air travel
Poor visibility has disrupted flights at Singapore's smaller Seletar Airport, leading to diversions and cancellations.
Both Seletar and the country's main international airport, Changi, remain operational.
Nearly 3,000 runners have had their plans canceled
The ISCA Run, scheduled for Saturday at Gardens by the Bay, was canceled because of the haze, affecting almost 3,000 registered participants.
An ISCA spokesperson told Business Insider that organizers made the call early because air conditions remained unpredictable and they were concerned about the safety of runners, including young children taking part in the Family Run.
The pollution is keeping people indoors
Singapore's public sports operator temporarily closed all outdoor and non-air-conditioned sports facilities it manages across the island on Friday because of the haze.
Indoor, air-conditioned facilities have remained open.
Read next
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Huileng Tan is a senior reporter based in Singapore, covering markets, the global economy, commodities, and investing. Her reporting focuses on how shifts in money, demographics, technology, and policy are reshaping businesses, wealth, and everyday life around the world.Since joining Business Insider in 2021, she has covered everything from commodity booms and investor trends to China's economy, the AI trade, and the forces driving global markets.Before joining Business Insider, she reported for CNBC, Dow Jones, ICIS, and The Wall Street Journal.Reach her at [email protected].
