KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – Thick haze blanketed Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, obscuring the city skyline as major forest and peatland fires burned across Indonesia’s Kalimantan and Sumatra regions. The fires have burned large areas of forest and peatland, driving up pollution levels in the worst-affected parts of Sumatra and Borneo. Winds have carried the smoke across national borders, affecting air quality in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore and raising concerns for people with respiratory conditions.
At 3 p.m. local time on October 8, Swiss air-quality monitoring platform IQAir ranked Kuala Lumpur the world’s most polluted major city, with an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 222, classified as very unhealthy. Authorities and residents across the region are keeping a close watch on air quality as the haze continues to affect neighbouring countries, including Thailand, where changing winds could influence conditions. (TNA)
