Six Areas In Sarawak Record Unhealthy API Reading As Of 1pm - DOE

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 20 (Bernama) -- Six areas in Sarawak recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 1 pm today due to transboundary haze.

Department of Environment (DOE) deputy director-general (Development) Azuri Azizah Saedon said Serian recorded the highest API reading of 193, followed by Kuching (190), Sri Aman (178), Samarahan (173), Sarikei (153) and Sibu (108).

"Air quality in the country today has deteriorated, with an increase in areas recording unhealthy API readings involving areas in Sarawak, caused by haze movement from various directions,” she said in a statement today.

She said that based on the Singapore-based ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) report yesterday, 489 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, 19 in Sumatera and 11 in Malaysia, comprising two in Sabah and nine in Sarawak.

Azuri Azizah said that today's Regional Haze Map, released by the ASMC, showed dry weather conditions prevailing across most of the southern ASEAN region, except northern Sumatra, which experienced some rainfall.

"Scattered hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, while several isolated hotspots were detected in other areas of the southern ASEAN region.

"Moderate to dense transboundary smoke plumes were observed originating from clusters of hotspots in West Kalimantan and moving northwards into western Sarawak,” she said.

She said the DOE had stepped up enforcement and daily patrols in areas with a high potential for open burning, while periodically monitoring API readings.

"The National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan have been activated to coordinate the efforts of government agencies in addressing open burning and the national haze situation,” she said.

The public is urged to refrain from carrying out open burning and immediately report any such activities or fire incidents to the Fire and Rescue Department via 999 or the DOE hotline at 1-800-88-2727.

-- BERNAMA