Haze crisis deepens as six Sarawak areas enter unhealthy air quality levels
THICK haze has blanketed parts of Sarawak, with six areas recording unhealthy air quality levels as smoke and particulate pollution reduced visibility and raised health concerns across the state. Data from the Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management...
Thick haze has engulfed parts of Sarawak, with six regions registering unhealthy air quality levels, according to data released on August 20, 2026. The Malaysian Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) revealed Serian as the most affected area, with an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 187 at 9am. Kuching and Sri Aman followed with API readings of 182 and 174, respectively.
Samarahan, Sarikei, and Sibu recorded API readings of 165, 153, and 123, placing all six areas in the unhealthy category. The deteriorating air quality was attributed to large-scale forest fires in Kalimantan, with smoke and pollutants believed to have crossed the border into Sarawak. Visibility at Kuching International Airport was significantly reduced, and several locations experienced blurred views due to the haze.
The API scale ranges from 0 to 50 (good), 51 to 100 (moderate), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy), and above 300 (hazardous). While 50 other areas reported moderate air quality and 12 remained in the good category, the worsening conditions have prompted authorities to urge vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and those with respiratory issues, to limit outdoor activities until the haze clears.
Written by urgent.news from The Vibes's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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