{
  "id": 2267036,
  "title": "591 schools in Sarawak closed, IPU Serian ‘very unhealthy’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/591-sekolah-di-sarawak-ditutup-ipu-serian-sangat-tidak-sihat",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-21T01:15:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today-freemalays",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/08/21/591-sekolah-di-sarawak-ditutup-ipu-serian-sangat-tidak-sihat"
  },
  "original_language": "it",
  "account": "Air quality in Serian, Sarawak, has reached a very unhealthy level with an Air Pollution Index (API) reading of 241. A total of 591 schools in Sarawak have been ordered to close due to worsening haze. The schools, which include 509 primary schools with 107,590 students and 82 secondary schools with 89,733 students, were shut down by the Sarawak Education Department. The haze is caused by hotspots in Sarawak and Indonesia, with 148 hotspots detected in Sarawak and 7,286 in Kalimantan, Indonesia, from August 1 to yesterday.",
  "summary": "The IPU readings in eight other areas in Sarawak reached unhealthy levels following the haze caused by forest and peatland fires in Kalimantan.",
  "key_points": [
    "591 schools in Sarawak closed due to severe air pollution",
    "Air Quality Index in Serian region at 241, classified as very unhealthy",
    "Smoke haze from West Kalimantan affecting Sarawak air quality"
  ],
  "editors_take": "Closure of 591 schools in Sarawak due to worsening pollution means students and teachers face health risks, with authorities warning of compromised public health from very unhealthy air quality levels.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "591 schools in Sarawak closed, IPU Serian ‘very unhealthy’",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/21/591-sekolah-di-sarawak-ditutup-ipu-serian-sangat-tidak-sihat-2270293",
        "published": "2026-08-21T01:15:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}