Malaysia records unhealthy air quality in around 30 areas as haze spreads
Much of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and parts of Sarawak were affected on Tuesday (Aug 25), with authorities saying haze was moving in “from various directions”.
On Tuesday, August 25, Malaysia experienced unhealthy air quality in approximately 30 regions due to haze originating from neighboring Indonesia. The Department of Environment under Malaysia's Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability reported 29 areas with unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings at 2pm, with the highest reading being 182 in Sarawak's Serian district.
API readings ranging from 0 to 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and over 300 hazardous. Shah Alam and Kuching recorded API readings of 162 and 160, respectively. Other areas with unhealthy air quality included Tanjung Malim at 157, Taiping at 155, and Kuala Lumpur at 154.
The haze is attributed to hotspots detected in Kalimantan and Sumatra, with dense transboundary smoke plumes moving towards Sarawak and Sumatra. The Department of Environment has intensified enforcement actions and activated national haze action plans, including suspending outdoor activities when API readings exceed 100, closing schools and kindergartens when readings surpass 200, and conducting cloud seeding operations when readings exceed 150 for over 24 hours. Landowners are advised to monitor and prevent open burning in susceptible areas.
Written by urgent.news from Channel News Asia's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
