More vessels deployed to prevent oil slick from reaching beaches

13 Sept 12:55 Key points summarised by AI

Ten additional vessels have been deployed, bringing the total to fifteen, to spray dispersants and combat a 47 sq km oil slick off Rayong following a recent leak.
Fishing boats are actively laying three-kilometer booms to prevent the oil from reaching beaches and the Moo Koh Samet-Khao Laem Ya national park, crucial for protecting coral reefs and marine species.
While 90% of the oil has been reduced to a film by dispersants and no oil has been detected on coral reefs yet, authorities are mobilizing vessels to remove oil from the surface and preparing for potential beach clean-ups, with hotels already reporting cancellations due to the spill.

Indonesia haze spikes Singapore pollution, shuts East Timor schools

Yesterday 19:04 Key points summarised by AI

Haze from Indonesian forest fires has caused severe regional air pollution, with Singapore's air quality hitting "very high" levels (PM2.5 at 288) and East Timor shutting schools nationwide for three days.
Singapore has responded by activating subsidies for haze-related medical treatment and distributing N95 masks to eligible residents, measures last seen during a similar crisis in 2015.
In Indonesia, over 280,000 respiratory problems have been recorded in affected regions, with fires razing hundreds of homes and displacing nearly a thousand people on Sumatra island.
The intensified blazes are attributed to a powerful El Nino cycle causing drought and persistent slash-and-burn land-clearing practices.
Despite Indonesian government efforts, including deploying over 60,000 personnel and attempting cloud seeding, the crisis continues, prompting Malaysia to seek cooperation with Indonesia to address the worsening haze.