PETALING JAYA: A total of 22 areas nationwide recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings of over 100 as at 11am Monday (Oct 12), with Kota Tinggi, Johor, recording the worst air quality with an API reading of 170.
According to the Environment Department's (DOE) API Management System (APIMS) portal, six other areas in Johor recorded unhealthy API readings - Pasir Gudang (169), Pengerang (164), Larkin (159), Tangkak (155), Batu Pahat (152) and Kluang (152).
In Negri Sembilan, unhealthy API readings were recorded at the monitoring stations at Seremban (166), Nilai (164) and Port Dickson (152), while in Terengganu, the areas affected are Kemaman (156), Paka (155) and Kuala Terengganu (151).
Three monitoring stations in Pahang also saw unhealthy air quality with Balok Baru Kuantan recording an API of 162, followed by Rompin (157) and Indera Mahkota Kuantan (130).
In other states, Melaka saw three areas with unhealthy API readings - Bukit Rambai (154), Bandaraya Melaka (117) and Alor Gajah (107) - while in Selangor, only the monitoring station in Johan Setia recorded an unhealthy API reading of 123.
The air quality in Putrajaya was also in the unhealthy range, with an API reading of 151, while the monitoring station in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, recorded an API of 127.
The air quality monitoring station in IPD Serian in Sarawak also recorded an unhealthy API reading of 116.
Acccording to the APIMS portal, 42 areas in Malaysia recorded moderate API readings, while there were three monitoring stations where the API fell in the good air quality range - Balik Pulau, Penang (44), Kangar, Perlis (43) and Langkawi, Kedah (26).
API readings of between zero and 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.
API data is released hourly based on readings from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide.
