Hazy months expected until October as dry spell likely to continue

An increase in hotspot activities can continue to be expected in the fire-prone areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan in Indonesia and Sarawak in Malaysia over the next few months, contributing to more haze pollution in the region, an international meeting noted Wednesday.

The 8th meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution, being held in Singapore, also noted that the El Nino phenomenon was likely to exacerbate and prolong the current dry season until October.

The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre reported that the prevailing weak El Nino condition was forecast to intensify to a moderate-to-strong El Nino event in the last quarter of this year, according to a statement released by the meeting, held in Singapore.