{
  "id": 5482182,
  "title": "Serian API hits hazardous 518, emergency declaration possible",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/serian-api-hits-hazardous-518-emergency-declaration-possible-5482182",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T03:28:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Malay Mail",
    "slug": "malay-mail-malaymail",
    "url": "https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2026/09/04/serian-api-hits-hazardous-518-emergency-declaration-possible/233873"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "The Serian region in Sarawak has recorded an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 518, placing it in the \"hazardous\" category, according to the Department of Environment’s Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS). This reading is above the hazardous threshold of 300, which means the air quality is significantly deteriorated and poses serious health risks. Kuching, Kota Samarahan, and Sri Aman have also recorded hazardous API readings of 310, 281, and 245, respectively. The Sarawak Deputy Premier, Douglas Uggah Embas, has indicated that areas with API readings of 500 or above could potentially be declared a state of emergency by the National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA), but this would only apply to the affected localities and not the entire state. Efforts are being made to mitigate the impact of the haze through cloud seeding operations to increase water storage levels.",
  "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."
}