Unhealthy air quality persists over central and southern peninsula

Unhealthy air quality continues to plague central and southern regions of the peninsula, according to the latest data from the Asean haze monitoring centre. As of 5:45pm today, 36 areas across the peninsula were recorded with unhealthy air pollution levels, with the highest reading of 190 detected in Pasir Gudang, Johor.

The haze is believed to be originating from fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, producing moderate to dense transboundary smoke haze over parts of Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, Kalimantan, and southern and central Sumatra. While showers are expected over the peninsula and northern Borneo in the coming days, there is a risk that the hazardous conditions may persist over fire-prone regions with ongoing dry weather.

Johor leads the list of affected areas, with 7 locations registering readings above 170. Negeri Sembilan and Melaka each have 2 areas with unhealthy readings above 180. Perak, Pahang, and Kedah also host several areas with API readings between 180 and 200, indicating unhealthy air quality. In total, 32 areas across the peninsula recorded moderate (51-100) API readings, while no areas reported good air quality (API 0-50).