Singapore and Malaysia haze - my friend says

A friend of mine just phoned about the haze. He said schools in Malaysia had shut (KL I think). At another property in Singapore an expat heard the alternating siren from defence which (according to an announcement interrupting the classical music channel Symphony 92.4) signals go to shelter. The continuous sound from the siren indicates it's safe to come out.

I presume this means the haze, not some kind of international attack, although you might think it amounts to almost the same thing. When your school are shut, your sports events and charity runs are cancelled ...

In Singapore you can see people on trains and buses wearing the white masks bought from pharmacies. Some employers distribute masks to their staff.

A neighbour in Singapore told me he is now waking in the morning having to clear his throat.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/air-quality-in-singapore-remains-unhealthy-on-tuesday-24-hour-psi-at-8am-122

To get official updates go the local newspapers and government websites.
todayonline.com (Today newspaper, Singapore)
straitstimes.com (Straits Times newspaper, Singapore)

Sympathies to those in California suffering from the fires.

Glossary
PSI Pollutant Standards Index

Angela Lansbury, travel writer, photographer, 

Singapore's Haze and How to keep up with news from Asia

The haze is bad in Singapore, Monday 14 September 2015. The Today newspaper, which is found at the MRT stations and delivered in piles to the ground floors of blocks of flats, carries the headline on the front page "Schools ready for the worst, as PSI set to become 'very unhealthy'.

Their news report carries reports about the Formula 1 race and how drivers and audiences and promoters may be affected.

How does it affect travellers and tourists and residents in the region? You might find that sports events are cancelled, or that schoolchildren are having sports and PE lessons indoors instead of outdoors. You might buy a mask in a pharmacy and see others wearing masks when they set off shopping. You might consider whether you prefer the underground MRT as a form of transport, or a taxi or air conditioned bus, rather than a bicycle, motorbike or standing waiting at a bus stop.

See more in todayonline.com
straitstimes.com

One way to keep up with news from Asia if you are an expat spending some time in Singapore or Asian countries is to keep a news feed from an Asian newspaper coming onto your computer's or mobile phone's home page. You could pick the 'BBC - World' page, or a Singapore newspaper such as Todayonline.com

Angela Lansbury BA, travel writer, photographer, author, speaker.