NewzThe haze situation appears to be improving, with six areas in Sarawak registering 'very unhealthy', 25 'unhealthy', 26 'moderate', and 11 'good' API readings. (Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: There were no areas with "hazardous" air pollutant index (API) readings as of 1.45pm today, with the level recorded at Serian, Sarawak, where an emergency was declared yesterday, going down to 287.Joining the district in the "very unhealthy" category were five other locations in Sarawak - Kuching (267), Sri Aman (251), Samarahan (242), Samalaju (202) and Bintulu (201).A total of 25 areas in the country recorded "unhealthy" API readings, 26 showed "moderate' readings, while 11 reported "good" levels.An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.In Kuching, deputy premier Douglas Uggah Embas said government offices, private companies and other workplaces affected by the haze emergency in Serian may continue their operations but must take health precautionary measures.Uggah, who is also the state disaster management committee chairman, said these included industries, plantations, construction sites and quarries.He said the committee is monitoring the haze situation across Sarawak, particularly the API reading in Serian.“(The committee) is monitoring the API level in Serian within these three days in anticipation for any fluctuation of the API level, should it increase to a level above 500.“This monitoring is to be done before any recommendation is to be proposed to Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg and Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on the status of the emergency in Serian,” he said in a statement, Bernama reported. Serian in Sarawak was the only area in the country with a 'hazardous' reading of above 300 as of 10am today.
(Bernama pic)PETALING JAYA: Air quality in Serian, Sarawak, where an emergency was declared yesterday after its air pollutant index (API) reading reached a high of 512, improved this morning with a reading of 334.It was the only area in the country with a "hazardous" reading of above 300 as of 10am.However, three other areas in Sarawak recorded “very unhealthy” API readings - Kuching (267), Samarahan (259) and Sri Aman (260) - according to the environment department's API Management System portal.Nine areas in the state also recorded “unhealthy” API readings - Bintulu (194), Samalaju (194), Institut Latihan Perindustrian Miri (186) , Mukah (185), Miri (179), Sarikei (178), Sibu (171), Limbang (159) and Kapit (144).Joining them were eight areas in Johor - Batu Pahat (157), Larkin, Segamat and Kluang (154), Tangkak (155), Pasir Gudang (151), Kota Tinggi (136) and Pengerang (108) - and three areas in Sabah - Kimanis (165), Politeknik Kota Kinabalu (154) and Kota Kinabalu (135).The other areas recording “unhealthy” API readings included Labuan (164), Johan Setia in Selangor (155), Bukit Rambai (155) and Alor Gajah (108) in Melaka (151), Rompin (147) and Balok Baru Kuantan in Pahang (145).An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.Following the declaration of emergency, which was consented to by the Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Sultan Ibrahim, the Sarawak education department announced that 647 primary and secondary schools in the state would be closed from Sept 7 to 11, with home-based teaching and learning to be conducted throughout the five-day period.The schools are under the supervision of 12 district education offices in Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, Kanowit, Julau and Meradong.Bernama reported from Jakarta this morning that Indonesia will continue to coordinate with its neighbours and utilise Asean mechanisms to address the transboundary haze.It will also intensify domestic efforts to control forest and land fires, foreign ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl said.
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