{
  "id": 4425390,
  "title": "Jerebu makin buruk, 3 kawasan Sarawak catat IPU berbahaya",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/jerebu-makin-buruk-3-kawasan-sarawak-catat-ipu-berbahaya",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-30T12:06:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/bahasa/tempatan/2026/08/30/jerebu-makin-buruk-3-kawasan-sarawak-catat-ipu-berbahaya"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Bad air quality in Sarawak has worsened, with three areas recording hazardous levels of air pollution, according to a recent report by the Malaysian Air Quality Index (IPU) system. Serian topped the list with a reading of 436 at 6 p.m., followed by Samarahan (336) and Kuching (323). Sri Aman recorded the most extreme air quality at 266, while Sarikei reported 214.\n\nSeven regions registered unhealthy air quality: Sibu (196), Mukah (187), Bintulu (182), Samalaju (175), Miri (162), Kapit (162), and Miri (159). Other locations recorded readings of 154 in Labuan, 144 in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, and 108 in Taiping, Perak. According to the Malaysian Air Quality Index scale, readings between 0 and 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 low, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, and over 300 hazardous.\n\nThe pollution is primarily caused by fires in Kalimantan and Sumatra, as recorded in the ASMC map. As of 5:30 p.m., the air pollution level in many air quality monitoring stations across Sarawak, West Malaysia, and Central and Southern Sumatra was reported as unhealthy to hazardous. Simple smoke and even thick smoke is attributed to a cluster of heat sources in most areas of Kalimantan and the central and southern parts of Sumatra. Light and moderate smoke is also found enveloping West and Central Kalimantan, Brunei, and parts of West and Central Sarawak, while simple smoke from heat sources in northern Kalimantan has reached southern Sabah.",
  "summary": "Serian catat bacaan IPU tertinggi cecah 436, disusuli Samarahan dan Kuching, manakala kualiti udara di Sri Aman dan Sarikei ‘sangat tidak sihat’.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Jerebu makin buruk, 3 kawasan Sarawak catat IPU berbahaya",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/30/jerebu-makin-buruk-3-kawasan-sarawak-catat-ipu-berbahaya-4427523",
        "published": "2026-08-30T12:06:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}