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Singapore urges Indonesian to quell sources of unhealthy air

SINGAPORE, June 17 (UPI) -- Environmental officials in Singapore asked Indonesia Monday to take "urgent measures" after unhealthy levels of air pollution spread into the island nation.

National Environment Agency officials said smoke from forest fires on Indonesia's island of Sumatra had pushed a pollution index to 140 Monday night, with anything above 100 considered unhealthy, The Straits Times reported.

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That's the highest since 2006, when massive fires in Indonesia pushed the index in Singapore to 150 on one occasion.

An NEA spokesman said Indonesian officials have been urged "to look into urgent measures to mitigate the transboundary haze occurrence."

The haze has shrouded the entire island, and NEA said the conditions were expected to continue for the next few days.

Some of the fires were started to clear forests for planting.

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