TAINAN (TVBS News) — Tainan officials reported unhealthy air quality on Wednesday (Feb. 26), prompting the city government to establish a command center to address the issue.
Tainan's Environmental Protection Bureau (台南市環保局) attributed the poor conditions to weak northerly winds and ongoing pollutant inflow. It predicts that the red alert, indicating unhealthy air for all groups, will persist through Thursday.
Meteorological forecasts suggest a slight improvement in pollution levels as daytime temperatures rise and the height of the atmospheric boundary layer increases. However, pollutants remain high in nearby sea areas. The city government has launched a joint response operation across multiple departments, implementing several pollution reduction measures to combat the situation.
The Environmental Protection Bureau has deployed drones to inspect and prevent open burning, a key source of human-made pollution. Additionally, authorities are intensifying inspections of large diesel vehicles and high-pollution motorcycles. Officials expect air quality in Tainan to gradually improve beginning Friday.