Smoke from wildfires in Indonesia has made the air unhealthy in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. On September 30, Kuala Lumpur was the world's most polluted major city, according to the Swiss monitor IQAir. Its Air Quality Index reading was 166. Singapore ranked third with 155. Readings above 150 are classed as unhealthy.
A milky haze has covered both cities for more than a month. The smoke drifts from fires on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra. Hot, dry weather linked to El Nino has fed the fires, which are also connected to land clearing. Some residents are changing their routines. A recent graduate in Kuala Lumpur said she mostly stays indoors and cannot even see the Merdeka 118 tower. In Singapore, an 18-year-old student with a nose allergy has cut down on sports. Haze is a repeated problem in the region, but this year it has been especially bad.