Thick haze engulfs central Maldives; visibility reduced by 60%
If visibility is less than 5 km, it is always brought to the notice of the public.
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By
Mohamed Muzayyin Nazim
The Meteorological Office (MET) on Monday advised people to remain alert as the region has become hazy in the last 24 hours due to the north monsoon impact. In central Maldives, including capital city Male, the visibility has decreased by 60%.
The increase in haze significantly reduces visibility. This makes it difficult for people to travel, and have to be extra careful while travelling.
In a tweet on Sunday night, the Met Office said that the north-central air has become unclear due to the easterly winds during this period and the visibility has decreased significantly.
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On a clear day, people can see more than 10km away
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However, in the last 24 hours, especially in the central part of the country, visibility has been at an average of 4km
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This is 60% lower than a clear day
An official of the Met office told Atoll Times Monday evening that if the visibility is less than 5km, it is always brought to the notice of the public.
"Hopefully it's going to be better tomorrow. The air is expected to be much clearer by early February," the official said, adding that air travel, thickness and rainfall play an important role in improving air quality and visibility.
The air pollution in the Maldives is frequent between December and February, -as is monsoonal. In December, there was a sharp decline in visibility too.
