Sarawak woke up to hazy skies today following several days of scorching heat, with visibility visibly reduced across various parts of the state.
A view from the 17th floor of the Sultan Iskandar Building this morning revealed a noticeable drop in visibility due to the haze. Despite this, air quality readings remain at a moderate level, according to the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) by the Department of Environment (DOE).
As of 11am, Kuching recorded the highest Air Pollutant Index (API) in Malaysia, hitting a reading of 97 — the highest among the 63 monitoring stations nationwide.
Other affected areas include Mukah (93), Samarahan (88), Bintulu (83), Sarikei (79), Serian (73), Sibu (72), ILP Miri (70), Samalaju (70), Miri (68), Limbang (62), and Kapit (60), all of which remain within the moderate range.
The worsening air conditions are believed to be the result of open burning in various parts of Sarawak, along with cross-border haze from forest fires near Kalimantan, Indonesia.
Adding to the concern, a forest fire was reported in Mukah last night. The Sarawak Fire and Rescue Department confirmed that efforts are ongoing to contain the blaze, which has already spread across nearly one hectare.
