PETALING JAYA: Only Serian in Sarawak recorded very unhealthy air quality due to haze, while most parts of the country saw improvements.
According to the Department of Environment’s (DOE) Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS), Serian recorded an API reading of 227 as of 6pm yesterday.
Three other districts in Sarawak recorded unhealthy readings, namely Sri Aman (196), Samarahan (172) and Kuching (171).
No unhealthy API readings were recorded in Peninsular Malaysia.
API readings of 0 to 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 (moderate), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy) and 301 and above (hazardous).
Meanwhile, a total of 52 monitoring stations nationwide recorded moderate air quality, with readings ranging from 51 to 100, while 12 stations recorded good air quality, mainly in the northern and east coast states.
Good air quality readings were recorded in Seberang Perai (47), Minden (35) and Balik Pulau (19) in Penang; Besut (22) in Terengganu; Kota Baru (28) and Tanah Merah (19) in Kelantan.
Good air quality readings were also recorded in Sungai Petani (46), Kulim Hi-Tech (38), Alor Setar (25) and Langkawi (17) in Kedah; Kangar (23) in Perlis; and Tanjung Malim (47) in Perak.
The clearer conditions in northern Peninsular Malaysia were partly attributed to prevailing winds from the Andaman Sea, according to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC).
The winds helped keep smoke from forest and peat fires in Sumatra away from Perlis, Kedah and Penang, although haze continued to affect southern areas, including the Klang Valley and Johor.
Separately, water reserves are also being closely monitored amid prolonged dry conditions, with two major dams reported to be at critical levels and eight others at warning status, according to the National Water Services Commission.
The Muda Dam in Kedah and Sungai Pagar Dam in Labuan were reported to be at critical levels, with the dams supplying raw water to water treatment plants.
