Serian haze eases slightly, but API remains hazardous at 390 at 7am; Kuching, Tebedu, Lundu remain at very unhealthy levels

KUCHING, September 5 — Air quality in Serian saw a slight improvement, with its Air Pollutant Index (API) reading falling to 390 by 7am, down from 498, which was classified as very hazardous at 8pm the previous day. The Natural Resources and Environment Board's API Status for Sarawak reported that Kuching's API also decreased to 277 by 7am from 298 at 8pm, but continued to be categorized as very unhealthy.

Additional locations with very unhealthy air quality at 7am included Tebedu, with an API of 293, and Lundu, at 279. Tebedu and Lundu managed to exit the hazardous zone, with their readings dropping from 360 and 314 at 8pm, respectively. Meanwhile, Limbang's air quality worsened, reaching an unhealthy level of 155, up from a moderate reading of 96 at 8pm.

Kapit's API also climbed into the unhealthy zone, hitting 122 from a moderate reading of 93 at 8pm. Notable locations with unhealthy API readings by 7am were Bintulu, at 189, Samalaju and Betong, both at 188, Mukah, at 183, Industrial Training Institute, at 181, Sarikei and Sibu, both at 174, Lawas, at 129, and Kapit, at 122. Only Bario, with an API of 75, registered a moderate level.

An API reading of 401 or higher is deemed very hazardous, readings between 301 and 400 signify hazardous, 201 to 300 indicate very unhealthy, 101 to 200 represent unhealthy, and 51 to 100 indicate moderate.