The Department of Health just issued an advisory and information about haze or more accurately, ‘smaze’ (a combination of smoke and haze) which has exceeded what experts believe are ‘safe levels’ in Cebu and parts of Mindanao.
Now, this haze from Indonesia has found its way to Metro Manila.
According to PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) a light haze has been reported over the capital.
Though the concentration of haze isn’t as thick as that over Cebu and parts of Mindanao, they will be monitoring its progress in the coming days.
This past week, as the haze over the region grew thicker, the public took extra caution and flights in Cotabato and other parts of Mindanao have been cancelled for safety reasons.
In Davao City, they are looking into “cloud seeding” to fight the effects of Haze. This is a process of inducting rain by using silver iodide or dry ice.
How Haze got here and how it affects us
The haze from forest fires have killed 10 people in Indonesia and it has been discovered that it found its way to the Philippines due to the pull of typhoon ‘Lando’.
Toxic haze increases the amount of air pollution and poses serious health risks such as respiratory tract infections and cardiac ailments.
Those most at risk are the elderly, children, and those with existing cardiac or respiratory illnesses.
It is advised that those at risk stay indoors, wear protective masks, and avoid areas where haze may be present.
Once they experience difficulty in breathing, tearing of the eyes and irritation of the nose or throat, it’s best to consult a doctor immediately.
Read: The effects of smoking and passive smoking on children
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