Haze: Very Unhealthy Air Quality In Sri Aman, Unhealthy API Readings In 21 Areas

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 28 (Bernama) -- Air quality in Sri Aman, Sarawak, has deteriorated to a very unhealthy level, reaching 211 as of 2 pm today, while 21 other areas nationwide also recorded unhealthy levels.

Department of Environment (DOE) deputy director-general (Development) Azuri Azizah Saedon said the other 44 areas recorded moderate air quality levels, while only one area was in the good category.

She added that among the areas with unhealthy API readings in Sarawak were Serian (182), Sarikei (159), Kuching (157), Bintulu (120), Miri (116) and Sibu (101).

Areas in Peninsular Malaysia with unhealthy air quality were Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (160); Seberang Perai and Minden, Penang (158); Taiping, Perak (155); Seberang Jaya, Penang (154); Sungai Petani, Kedah (154); Johan Setia, Shah Alam (Selangor); and Batu Muda, Kuala Lumpur (152 each).

Also affected were Alor Setar, Kedah (151); Tasek Ipoh, Perak (150); Putrajaya (147); Petaling Jaya, Selangor (126); Seremban, Negeri Sembilan (114); and Tanjung Malim, Perak (104).

"The quality of air in the country today was found to have deteriorated, with several areas on the west coast states of Peninsular Malaysia and Sarawak recording unhealthy API readings amid haze movement from various directions,” she said in a statement today.

Azuri Azizah said that based on the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) report yesterday, satellite images detected 514 hotspots in Kalimantan, 176 in Sumatera, while three hotspots were detected in Malaysia, one each in Johor, Sarawak and Terengganu.

She added that today's ASMC Regional Haze Map showed dry conditions across much of southern ASEAN, while moderate-to-dense haze was observed in western Borneo.

She said moderate-to-dense smoke plumes were observed in several areas in Kalimantan and in central and southern Sumatera, with several air quality monitoring stations recording air quality levels ranging from unhealthy to hazardous.

Following this, the DOE has intensified enforcement and daily patrols in areas prone to open burning, and has also activated the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan.

The DOE also advised landowners to monitor areas prone to fires, such as landfills, forests, peatlands, plantations, agricultural areas and industrial sites, and to take measures to prevent encroachment that could lead to open burning.

-- BERNAMA