{
  "id": 5509074,
  "title": "Serian API hits 521 as Sarawak haze reaches hazardous levels",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/serian-api-hits-521-as-sarawak-haze-reaches-hazardous-levels",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-04T06:40:25.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "New Straits Times",
    "slug": "new-straits-times",
    "url": "https://www.nst.com.my/news/nation/2026/09/1525607/serian-api-hits-521-sarawak-haze-reaches-hazardous-levels"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "On a recent afternoon, the Air Pollutant Index (API) in Serian, Sarawak reached a hazardous level of 521, according to data from the Department of Environment's Air Pollutant Index Management System. Kuching was the sole other location to report hazardous readings, at 311. Two other areas, Samarahan and Sri Aman, recorded very unhealthy air quality, with API levels of 284 and 235 respectively. Eleven locations, including Sarikei, Sibu, Mukah, Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Tawau, Samalaju, Sandakan, Pasir Gudang, Johor, Segamat, Johor, and Miri, recorded unhealthy air quality, with readings ranging from 115 to 182. API readings, updated hourly based on data from 68 monitoring stations nationwide, indicate good air quality at 0 to 50, moderate at 51 to 100, unhealthy at 101 to 200, very unhealthy at 201 to 300, and hazardous at readings above 300. Readings above 500 signify extremely severe pollution and may prompt emergency action by authorities.",
  "summary": "KUALA LUMPUR: Haze in Serian, Sarawak remains at hazardous levels, with the Air Pollutant Index (API) reaching 521 as of 2pm today.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "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"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "New Straits Times",
        "title": "Serian API hits 518 as haze persists in Sarawak",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/serian-api-hits-518-as-haze-persists-in-sarawak",
        "published": "2026-09-04T03:14:30.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Malay Mail",
        "title": "Serian API hits hazardous 518, emergency declaration possible",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/serian-api-hits-hazardous-518-emergency-declaration-possible",
        "published": "2026-09-04T03:28:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Winnipeg Free Press",
        "title": "Sarawak town chokes as haze pushes air pollution past Malaysia’s emergency threshold",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/04/sarawak-town-chokes-as-haze-pushes-air-pollution-past-malaysias",
        "published": "2026-09-04T09:06:30.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "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."
}