Malaysia: Clear weather expected after Oct 10, says Meteorological Dept

The Star 6 Oct 15;

PETALING JAYA: Haze levels continued to drop after a torrid weekend that saw seven areas facing very unhealthy levels.

As of 5pm yesterday, 18 areas recorded an unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API), compared to 28 at 11pm the previous day.

An API reading from 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy; and 301 and above, hazardous.

Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail said this was due to the tropical storm Mujigae, which was expected to make landfall in China yesterday.

“Once it hits China, the wind will revert to typical inter-monsoon winds that are light and variable and we don’t expect to have any transboundary haze,” she said.

“As you can see, it is already improving slightly. And there should be clear weather after Oct 10.”

However, the falling trend remains subject to no new tropical storms forming in the region.

Che Gayah said the region would usually see three to four tropical storms in October and only two had occurred so far.

“Mujigae is one while the other, Choi-wan, developed somewhere over the east of the Philippines but is moving towards Japan ... so it is too far away to have much impact on the wind here.”

She added that lately it had been very difficult to carry out cloud seeding because for safe operating procedure, a minimum of 1.6km of runway visibility was required.

“We are always on standby to carry out cloud seeding but this month we have only managed to cloud seed once – on Oct 2.”

Che Gayah also noted that the Fire Hazard Map in Indonesia was still in red.

“This means it is dry there, easy to catch fire and that fires would be very hard to put out.”

Haze maps on the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre website shows that winds from Kalimantan and Sumatra are blown west and beyond Peninsular Malaysia.

No strong chemicals used in cloud seeding ops
M. KUMAR The Star 6 Oct 15;

PETALING JAYA: The Defence Ministry has denied rumours that the Royal Malaysian Air Force is using strong chemicals to make rain.

The rumour which was spread via a viral text message advised people to stay away from the rain as it apparently is harmful to the skin.

Ministry spokesperson Lt Commander Karimah Awi said that the rumour was not true.

“It is false and the only one who is responsible to inform about the chemical composition for cloud seeding is the Meteorological Department,” she said when contacted Monday.

The Science, Technology and Innovation Ministry also denied the rumours.

Minister Datuk Madius Tangau said the chemical used in the cloud seeding operations is Natrium Chloride, or table salt.

“This salt is safe and has no bad side effects on the environment and health of the public.

“I would like to clarify that the quantity of the salt used for cloud seeding operations has not changed and no other chemicals have been added," he said in a statement on Monday.


Panel meets again over worsening haze condition
The Star 6 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Haze Committee is reconvening today to discuss further action in view of the worsening haze situation.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this was the third time in three weeks that the committee was meeting.

“I have asked to discuss a few issues for the well-being of the rakyat and to take action in handling transboundary haze,” he told reporters after the ministry’s monthly assembly here yesterday.

The committee also consists of representatives from the Education Ministry, Health Ministry and National Security Council.

Dr Wan Junaidi said previous discussions had included the Department of Environment’s (DOE) Air Pollutant Index system.

“This time around, among the actions to be taken will be the giving out of face masks and awareness campaigns nationwide,’’ he said.

According to the DOE, the API reading for southern Sarawak was within the moderate range.

Around noon in Kuching, the API was 51; Samarahan, 59; Sri Aman, 64; Sibu, 55; and Miri, 48.

On a related note, Dr Wan Junaidi said he had yet to fix a meeting with his Indonesian counterpart to further discuss a proposed memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two countries on transboundary haze.

“The MoU will outline six strategies, including prevention and suppression of forest fires, zero-burning process for jungle clearing and peatland management,” he said.

Meanwhile in Petaling Jaya, pharmacies are seeing brisk sales in face masks and medication for respiratory illnesses.

A pharmacist in the bustling SS2 area here said medicine and relief for dust allergies, asthma, blocked nose and cold plus lozenges were flying off the shelves.


Hundreds stranded by Langkawi runway closure
The Star 6 Oct 15;

GEORGE TOWN: Hundreds of tourists and locals were stranded after 13 departure flights were cancelled at the Langkawi International Airport in Kedah.

Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB), which revealed this in a statement, said the runway in Langkawi was closed for three hours and 15 minutes as visibility was only 500m at 8.25am yesterday.

“The runway was reopened at 11.40am when the visibility improved to 700m,” it added.

The Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in Langkawi were 129 (at 7am), 143 (11am) and 156 (3pm).

In Bayan Lepas and Butterworth, horizontal visibility was 2km at 3pm.

Meanwhile, isolated rain in the morning in several areas in Penang failed to clear the haze.

The API readings at the monitoring station at 3pm in Prai was 125, Seberang Jaya 2, 141 and Universiti Sains Malaysia 142.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalathrash Wahid said face masks would be given to police on outdoors duty.

“They will have to wear face masks to minimise the negative effects of the haze.

“We are carrying out road blocks as usual,” he said.


Public, private universities to monitor haze in their areas
KAREN CHAPMAN The Star 6 Oct 15;

PETALING JAYA: All public and private universities and higher learning institutes will monitor haze levels in their area and decide whether to postpone academic and non-academic activities or close the institutions.

Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Idris Jusoh said the ministry was aware of the haze situation and its possible effects on the health and well-being of students and staff.

“The ministry is also monitoring the situation through various mechanisms, including the Air Pollutant Index from time to time,” he said in a statement.

Idris said the higher learning institutes are also required to prepare internal Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines for the reference of their staff and students.

“The health and wellbeing of all students and staff is of the utmost priority,” he said.

About 7,000 schools in 11 states in the peninsula were closed yesterday and today.


Perlis fishermen’s income affected
The Star 5 Oct 15;

KUALA PERLIS: The worsening haze has affected the livelihood of almost 1,500 fishermen in Perlis, said state Housing and Local Government Committee chairman Mat Hassan.

He said on Monday that about 800 fishermen from Kuala Perlis and nearly 700 from Kuala Sungai Baru and Kuala Sanglang had to find alternative income if the haze did not improve.

"They cannot go out to sea due to a visibility of less than 500 metres and as a result the prices of fish have gone up as catches have declined by half," Mat, who is also Kuala Perlis state assemblyman said.

However he said these fishermen could still survive as the Government had given them subsistence allowance of RM300 per month for their daily needs, he said. - Bernama


Sarawak sees reprieve from haze
YU JI The Star 5 Oct 15;

KUCHING: For the first time since Sept 19, there is a hint of blue skies in Kuching.

On Monday morning, the visibility was 4km, a clear improvement from the 2km on Sunday evening.

The air quality also continued to improve through the morning.

By 2pm, the Malaysian Meteorological Department was reporting a horizontal visibility of 8km.

According to the Department of Environment, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading for southern Sarawak were all within the moderate range.

Around noon in the state capital the API was 51; Samarahan (59); Sri Aman (64); Sibu (55) and Miri (48).

The improvement in air quality was attributed to changing wind directions.

However, in Kalimantan, many parts remained shrouded in thick haze, reported the Singapore-based Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre.

The Terra satellite detected 267 hotspots in Borneo on Monday morning, almost all of which were in the Indonesian portion of the island.

The Central Kalimantan town of Palangka Raya had a reported API of 686, while Pontianak in West Kalimantan, the nearest Indonesian town to Kuching, had a reading of 103.

The Singaporean National Environment Agency is reporting that some haze from Kalimatan has been observed to have spread to the sea areas south east of the island nation.


Fishermen Advised To Avoid Fishing Along Shipping Routes
Bernama 4 Oct 15;

KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 4 (Bernama) -- Fishermen are advised to avoid fishing along routes frequently used by cargo and container ships during the haze.

Fishermen need to be alert and choose a safe location to catch fish to avoid boat collision incidents," Kuala Terengganu Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) Logistics (District 9) director, Lt Com Mohamad Zainal told Bernama here today.

He also encouraged fishermen, especially coastal fishermen to use fiberglass boats that provide compass or navigation tools when going out to fish.

"We understand fishermen will go out to sea because it is their source of income but watch the weather and visibility conditions prior to going out. If possible, use a compass if visibility is limited so as not to get lost in the middle of the sea and to avoid any untoward incidents," Mohamad said.

Meanwhile, a check by Bernama around the city here found that there were still some schools continuing with activities outside the classroom despite the air pollutant index reading being at an unhealthy level exceeding 100.

-- BERNAMA