National weather forecasting body, Maldives Meteorological Service (Met Office) states the haze is the worst in northern atolls on Sunday.
According to the IQ Air, the Maldives currently has an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 57, which falls into the “moderate” category, color-coded yellow. The fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is at 12.9 micrograms per cubic meter, just slightly above the World Health Organization annual PM2.5 guideline value.
An official from the Met Office told Sun on Sunday that the haze currently affecting the Maldives is most severe in the northern atolls. The official noted that visibility in the northern atolls is expected to be around four kilometers, while Malé will have visibility of about five kilometers.
Nevertheless, the official emphasized that the haze is not expected to worsen to dangerous levels on Sunday.
Map showing haze over nothern Maldivian atolls.
Notably, Health Protection Agency (HPA), on Friday, issued an orange alert warning of health risks as the haze blanketing Male’ area worsened to a dangerous level.
In this regard, the AQI of Male’ stood at 119 on Friday, falling into the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” category, color-coded orange.
This meant air pollution posed health risks for sensitive individuals like children, older adults, and people with heart or lung conditions.
Subsequently, HPA advised avoiding outdoor exercise, keeping windows closed to prevent polluted air from entering, wearing a mask when outdoors, and running an air purifier.
Maldives Meteorological Service on Thursday reported that the haze blanketing Maldives is expected to carry on into this week.
Unlike mist or fog, haze is caused by fine particles in the air, which pollute the air and reduce visibility.
The Maldives usually faces haze during December and January, when the Hulhangu Monsoon transitions into Iruvai Monsoon.
Environmental analysts have warned that the issue has become more severe in recent years, mainly due to hazardous gases expelled from factories in neighboring countries.