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Very
high roadside API to persist
The Environmental
Protection Department today (Thursday) recorded a roadside
Air Pollution Index (API) of 113 at the Causeway Bay air quality
monitoring station.
Another roadside station at Central recorded an API of 97
and the one at Mong Kok recorded 93.
This is
the second consecutive day that EPD recorded "very high"
API level at roadside.
For the
general ambient stations, the APIs ranged from 80 to 91.
"People
with heart or respiratory illnesses should avoid prolonged
stay in roads and streets with heavy traffic. If it is necessary
to stay in such places, they should reduce physical exertion
as far as possible," Principal Environmental Protection
Officer, Mr Leung Pak-ming said.
"The
prevalent wind has brought in a relatively high background
concentration of respirable suspended particulates, causing
the API level at the urban roadside with very heavy traffic
and surrounded by high-rise buildings to escalate to the 'very
high' band," he said.
The situation
is expected to persist tomorrow (Friday). The forecast for
tomorrow is 85 to 105 for the roadside and 75 to 90 for the
general air quality stations.
Members
of the public can check the API readings for different locations
on 2827 8541 or from EPD's website at http://www.info.gov.hk/epd/.
END/Thursday,
April 8, 1999
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