Poor air quality was recorded in parts of southern Taiwan and the offshore Kinmen County early Sunday, as an arriving cold front brought high concentrations of pollutants from China, according to the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA).
At various times on Sunday morning, the EPA said, its air quality index flashed a “red” alert in Chiayi City, Tainan and Kinmen, indicating “unhealthy” levels of air pollution.
Parts of Changhua, Chiayi County and Kaohsiung were flashing an “orange” alert on the index, signaling unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups, it said.
In other parts of the county, the air quality readings ranged from “moderate” to “good,” according to the EPA.
The poor air quality has been caused by strengthening northeasterly winds, which has brought PM 2.5 pollutants with a concentration of 80-120 micrograms per cubic meter across the Taiwan Strait from China, according to the EPA.
In Tainan, where residents on Sunday reported smoggy conditions and low visibility, city officials said the air quality was not expected to improve until Monday afternoon.
The EPA has forecast that from Tuesday through Thursday, wind conditions in areas north of Hsinchu will be ideal for dispersing the incoming pollutants.
However, in downwind locations in central and southern Taiwan, the pollutants may stagnate during that period, the agency said.
The air quality might be be especially bad in coastal areas from Changhua down to Tainan, due to dust being kicked up by strong winds, it said.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel