{
  "id": 5461426,
  "title": "Sarawak haze pushes Serian API reading to 495, just short of ‘emergency’ level",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sarawak-haze-pushes-serian-api-reading-to-495-just-short-of-emergency-5461426",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T01:01:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/09/04/sarawak-haze-pushes-serian-api-reading-to-495-just-short-of-emergency-level/233830"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Serian's Air Pollutant Index (API) reading skyrocketed to 495 this morning, just five points shy of reaching the \"emergency\" level, according to the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS). The reading, taken at 7am, marked the sole locality in Malaysia with hazardous air conditions. The API had started to climb from 6pm the previous day, following a brief improvement in haze conditions over the past day. Three other areas in Sarawak, including Kuching, Samarahan, and Sri Aman, were classified as \"very unhealthy\" with API readings of 289, 265, and 250, respectively. Eight additional localities, including two in neighboring Sabah, reported unhealthy air quality with readings below 200. Douglas Uggah Embas, chairman of the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee, had previously indicated that an API reading of 500 would trigger an \"emergency\" declaration, leading to the suspension of non-essential public and private sector activities and notifying the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) in Kuala Lumpur for further action.",
  "summary": "KUCHING, Sept 4 — Haze in Serian worsened sharply overnight, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) there climbing to...",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Serian haze worsens, API hits 495",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/serian-haze-worsens-api-hits-495",
        "published": "2026-09-04T00:07:41.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Vibes",
        "title": "Serian air pollution hits hazardous level with API reading of 495",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/serian-air-pollution-hits-hazardous-level-with-api-reading-of-495",
        "published": "2026-09-04T00:19:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Sarawak haze pushes Serian API reading to 495, just short of ‘emergency’ level",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sarawak-haze-pushes-serian-api-reading-to-495-just-short-of-emergency",
        "published": "2026-09-04T01:01:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Air quality in Serian exceeds emergency level at 517",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/air-quality-in-serian-exceeds-emergency-level-at-517",
        "published": "2026-09-04T03:08:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}