Worsening Haze Shuts Hundreds of Sarawak Schools
Sarawak has ordered schools in several districts to close for two days as worsening haze affects air quality across the state.
The worsening haze has forced Sarawak authorities to close hundreds of schools across the state for two days to protect students from unhealthy air pollution. Nearly 200,000 students are affected, with lessons continuing via home-based learning. Kuching, Padawan, Bau, Lundu, Samarahan, Simunjan, Serian, Sri Aman, Lubok Antu, and Betong are among the districts affected.
APIs in some areas have surpassed the "very unhealthy" threshold, with Serian recording a reading of 239, the highest in Sarawak. The closures follow earlier school closures in Serian due to temporary high pollution levels. Authorities have traced the haze to wildfires in Kalimantan, with thousands of hotspots reported there between August 1 and 19, far exceeding the number in Sarawak.
Officials warn that ongoing dry conditions could exacerbate the situation, leading to more fires and increased transboundary haze risks, as smoke from West Kalimantan has already penetrated parts of western Sarawak.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
