1,211 titik panas di selatan Asean, asap rentas sempadan masuk Sarawak, kata JAS

JAS reports 1,211 hotspots in southern ASEAN, smoke from transboundary haze enters Sarawak, says Azuri Azizah Saedon

1,211 hotspots have been identified in the southern ASEAN region based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) satellite images, according to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC). The majority of these hotspots, 1,180, are located in Kalimantan, with 18 in Sumatra and 13 in Malaysia. Sarawak has 9 hotspots, including two in Perak and two in Sabah.

ASMC's Jerebu Serantau map shows dry weather conditions in most areas of southern ASEAN, except for some regions in northern Sumatra and Peninsular Malaysia which have received rain. The farthest hotspot was detected in Sulawesi and the southern and central parts of Sumatra. Several hotspots were also detected, mainly in the center of Sarawak and eastern Java.

Transboundary smoke from burning is detected in most of Kalimantan, moving northwards and entering western Sarawak. Simple smoke haze up to unhealthy levels has been recorded at several air quality monitoring stations in western Kalimantan, western and central Sarawak, Sarawak's southwestern and central Sumatra.

The ASEAN Secretariat has activated Alert Level 3 for the region as of August 27, following Standard Operating Procedures for Major Emergencies. JAS and the National Smoke Crisis Action Plan (PTJK) continue to monitor air quality, hotspots, weather conditions, and smoke developments to coordinate actions among relevant ministries and agencies.

In Sarawak, JAS continues road patrols and prevention of open burning while increasing monitoring of areas prone to open burning, including forests, swamps, waste dumps, agricultural and plantation areas, and industrial zones. All outdoor activities should be suspended when the Air Pollution Index (API) reading exceeds 100, while schools, kindergartens, and task centers are closed when the reading exceeds 200.

The public is advised not to engage in open burning and to report any burning or fires to the Fire and Rescue Department via 999 or JAS at 1-800-88-2727.