Malaysia: Haze situation expected to worsen

Martin Carvalho, Lee Yen Mun and Nicholas Cheng The Star 17 Jun 13;

PETALING JAYA: The haze, which is affecting several parts of the country, is set to worsen with hotter and drier weather expected over the next few months.

The air quality in six towns in the peninsula dropped to unhealthy levels, based on the Air Pollutant Index (API), compared with just three on Saturday.

The Department of Environment (DOE) detected unhealthy API readings of 100 and above in Malacca (161), Bukit Rambai (135), Port Klang (104), Port Dickson (120), Muar (125) and Kemaman (108).

However, the quality of air at most other places in the country was between good and moderate.

Under the air quality index, readings of between 0 and 50 are classified as Good, 51 to 100 as Moderate, 101 to 200 as Unhealthy, 201 to 300 as Very Unhealthy and 300 and above as Hazardous.

In Malacca, the haze caused the API reading to increase from 68 to 161 over the past three days, the highest recorded in the country.

DOE director-general Datuk Halimah Hassan said the number of hot spots detected by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre in Sumatra, Indonesia, had increased from 46 on Friday to 101 on Saturday.

She attributed the haze to smoke from the hot spots in Sumatra being carried here by westerly monsoon winds, which began in early June.

“If the hot spots continue to increase and the direction of winds remains as it is, the situation could worsen,” she said.

She said the haze was a trans-border issue that required joint efforts by Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia through the Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

“The ministers are scheduled to meet in Kuala Lumpur sometime in August to discuss action plans to tackle the problem,” she said.

A Malaysian Meteorological Depart­­ment spokesman said the westerly monsoon, forecast to last until September, was expected to bring drier and hotter days with occasional thunderstorms in the evenings.

The temperature is expected to rise to between 34°C and 36°C during the period with the urban areas feeling more of the heat because of buildings and the lack of surrounding greenery.

“During the hot and dry spell, people are advised to drink more water and avoid exposure to direct sunlight,” the spokesman said.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam advised Malaysians to avoid unnecessary outdoor activities.

“We are monitoring the situation and will issue appropriate advisories based on the air quality levels.

“For now, members of the public, especially those with respiratory problems, should keep away from prolonged outdoor activities,” he said.

Deputy Education Minister P. Kamalanathan said his ministry was monitoring the situation closely.

“We will make the appropriate announcement when deterioration of the air quality becomes a health risk to students,” he said.

Medical officer Dr Norlen Mohamed, who specialises in community medicine, said the effects of haze on health were associated with the severity of air quality status and health conditions of individuals.

She said possible health effects include irritation in the eyes, skin and throat, breathing difficulties, upper respiratory tract infections and even heart attacks.


Air at unhealthy level in 5 towns
Hana Naz Harun and Hanis Maketab New Straits Times 17 Jun 13;

STAY INDOORS: 101 hotspots in Sumatra worsen haze in Klang Valley and other states

KUALA LUMPUR: THE air quality in five towns was recorded as "unhealthy", with Air Pollutant Index (API) readings above 100 recorded yesterday after the haze returned in the peninsula on Saturday.

The Department of Environment (DOE) website listed API readings from 52 air quality monitoring stations recorded at 5pm yesterday, with unhealthy levels in Malacca city (API 161), Bukit Rambai, Malacca (API 135), Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan (API 120), Kemaman, Terengganu (API 108) and Port Klang, Selangor (API 103).

At 11am yesterday, the API reading at Muar, Johor, was at 110, but conditions improved when the API levels decreased to 86 at 5pm.

Other areas in the peninsula showed good and moderate API readings. The API reading is "good" when the reading is between zero and 50, "moderate" (51 to 100), "unhealthy" (101 to 200), "very unhealthy" (201 to 300) and "hazardous" (above 300).

It is based on the average daily concentrations of air pollutants, including sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and dust particulates.

A satellite image by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre showed 101 hotspots in Sumatra, Indonesia, contributing to the haze, compared with only 46 hotspots on Friday.

DOE director-general Datuk Halimah Hassan said the haze was also caused by the westerly monsoon season, with winds blowing from central Sumatra.

Peat fire was detected in some areas in Selangor, namely in Kampung Busut Baru, Pulau Kempas in Mukim Tanjung Dua Belas, Kuala Langat North district and Kuala Langat South Forest Reserve.

Halimah said there were still patches of smoke in the Kuala Langat North Forest Reserve along the Elite Highway.

"The situation in all these areas is under control and does not contribute to the increase in API in Klang Valley."

She added that no other fires were detected in regions with increased API readings at unhealthy levels in Kemaman, Port Dickson, , Bukit Rambai, Malacca City and Muar.

The department advised the public not to carry out open burning and alert the Fire and Rescue Department at 999 or DOE at 1-800-88-2727 if there was a fire.

In Malacca, state DOE director Abd Hafiz Abd Samad advised people to stay indoors and drink plenty of water.

"Children or those who have medical conditions such as asthma should seek medical attention as soon as possible if they experience any breathing difficulty or discomfort."

Hafiz added that the state DOE had set up a team to monitor areas where open burning regularly occurred. Checks by the New Straits Times found visibility in Malacca was about 3km.

In Muar, the hazy condition in the Straits of Malacca improved yesterday following clear and sunny skies.

During its peak last week, the haze had reduced visibility at sea to less than 500m and hit hundreds of fishing villages in Johor's west coast.

Koh Tee Tee, 46, of Parit Jawa fishing village, said visibility had improved to about a nautical mile, but his catch was still poor.

Muar-Batu Pahat Fishermen's Association president Ser Boon Huat said the price of fish had increased by almost 100 per cent.

"I have also received complaints from fishermen of painful watery eyes, runny nose, cough, fever and vomiting when exposed to the haze."

Ser advised fishermen to take heed of the Meteorological Department advisories before venturing out to sea, adding that they had to be prepared for more haze from forest fires in Sumatra in view of the hot season. Additional reporting by Chong Chee Seong

Haze looms over region as hot spots multiply
Pollution soars to unhealthy levels in Malaysia as Sumatra fires rage
Zakir Hussain Indonesia Bureau Chief In Jakarta And Yong Yen Nie Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur
Straits Times 17 Jun 13;

SMOKE from forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia, caused air pollution to hit unhealthy levels in several places on the Malaysian peninsula, with conditions worsening considerably yesterday.

In Singapore, readings on the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) stayed in the moderate range yesterday.

The three-hour PSI reading peaked at 4pm, when it reached 81 - slightly below last Friday's high of 88. Levels above 100 are considered unhealthy.

The Meteorological Service of Singapore said there were 138 hot spots in Sumatra - the highest number in at least the past month.

In the Indonesian coastal city of Dumai, Riau, one of the urban areas closest to the fires, visibility was around 50m only, according to the MetroTV news channel.

Motorists drove with their headlights on during the day, and police officers distributed face masks to residents - some of whom complained of breathing difficulties - as the haze became thicker yesterday.

The hot spots in Riau, with peat and forest fires, were scattered across several regencies.

In Rokan Hilir, Environmental Impact Management Agency head Murni Wati said officials had recorded 33 hot spots in the regency in recent days.

To prevent new hot spots from developing, the agency and district chiefs will tell residents about the hazards of clearing land by burning.

Indonesia's Meteorological, Climatology and Geophysics Agency analyst Warih Lestari told Antara news agency yesterday that the number of hot spots in Riau will grow if the dry weather continues.

Malaysia's Department of Environment (DOE) said readings on the Air Pollution Index (API) at 5pm yesterday showed five places monitored on the peninsula had "unhealthy" pollutant levels of between 103 and 161.

They were Malacca town, Bukit Rambai in Malacca, Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan, Port Klang in Selangor and Kemaman in Terengganu.

On Saturday, three places showed up in the unhealthy band.

None of these places had such unhealthy air pollution levels three days ago.

The places affected are located mainly on the west coast, except for Kemaman which is situated on the east coast.

Other places in Peninsular Malaysia saw a general increase in their API readings as well, with most of the 52 places monitored showing "moderate" air quality.

In Kuala Lumpur, the API reading hit 92, putting it just below the "unhealthy" mark.

The haze was carried across the region by winds that are part of the westerly monsoon season.

PSI reading remains in moderate range
Kimberly Spykerman Channel NewsAsia 16 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE: The PSI reading, which measures the haze, was at 81 at 4pm on Sunday. At 7pm, it dipped to 70.

Sunday's readings are an improvement over Friday's, when the PSI climbed to over 85 after 2pm.

Any reading above 100 is considered unhealthy.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Friday that the haze and burning smell are from fires in Sumatra.

NEA said 85 hotspots were detected on 6 June 2013, over Sumatra.

Winds from the southwest or west during the current southwest monsoon season had also brought the haze to Singapore.

NEA said Singapore has been affected by slight haze since June 13.

- CNA/xq