TAINAN (TVBS News) — Tainan's air quality was detected to be at unhealthy levels on Monday (Feb. 17), prompting city officials to implement emergency measures.
At 10 a.m., the Annan (安南) monitoring station reported a red alert level, indicating unhealthy conditions for all groups. Tainan's Environmental Protection Bureau (台南市環保局) attributed the poor air quality to a temperature inversion caused by nighttime radiative cooling, which traps pollutants.
The bureau noted that fog in the early morning caused moisture to absorb PM2.5, increasing pollution levels. Although the fog dissipated between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., weak winds allowed pollutants to spread southward, affecting Tainan's air quality.
In response, the bureau increased monitoring of industrial areas and major roads, inspecting factories and construction sites and conducting roadside checks of high-pollution diesel vehicles and motorcycles.