SHARANPAL SINGH RANDHAWA New Straits Times 28 Jul 14;
KUALA LUMPUR: Hazy conditions caused a drastic drop in air quality with some areas showing Air Pollutant Index (API) readings ranging from moderate, unhealthy and very unhealthy.
Sibu Sarawak recorded very unhealthy reading of 221 at 6pm. The readings at 7pm showed the situation had worsened to 242.
As at 7pm, API readings displayed at the Department of Environment which recorded unhealthy readings were Shah Alam, Selangor (104); Port Klang, Selangor (146); Kuala Selangor, Selangor (105); Banting, Selangor (113).
In Sarawak, apart from Sibu which recorded very unhealthy reading, Samarahan recorded 109 (unhealthy) while Sri Aman was at 107 (unhealthy).
Thirty-eight areas in the country recorded moderate readings while seven other areas recorded good readings.
The areas which recorded good readings were Kota Tinggi, Larkin Lama in Johor; Langkawi, Kedah; Jerantut, Pahang; Limbang, Sarawak; Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan in Sabah.
The API readings at noon which surpassed the 100 markwere Samarahan (104), Sibu (188) and Sri Aman (109), Kuala Selangor (118), Port Klang (144) and Shah Alam (102).
HAZE: Unhealthy air quality in nine places
New Straits Times 29 Jul 14;
KUALA LUMPUR: Air quality was at unhealthy level in nine areas in the country as at 7 am, according to the Department of Environment (DOE).
The affected areas are Samarahan (126), Sibu (191) and Sri Aman (114) in Sarawak; Banting (137), Port Klang (135), Petaling Jaya (102); Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur (123), Cheras (121) and Putrajaya (124).
Twenty other places recorded moderate air quality.
An air pollutant index (API) reading of between zero and 50 indicates good air quality; between 51 and 100, moderate; between 101 and 200, unhealthy; between 201 and 300, very unhealthy and over 301, hazardous. Members of the public can refer to the DOE portal at http://www.doe.gov.my to find out the API reading for their areas. - BERNAMA
