Haze shuts down schools in Kuching, Samarahan
Schools in Kuching and Samarahan divisions in Sarawak have been told to close today as the air quality readings there edge closer to the very unhealthy level.
"Effective this morning, schools in Kuching, Samarahan, Padawan, Lundu and Bau are advised to close because the API reading is nearly 200 - the very unhealthy level," the state education department said in a statement today, as reported by The Star .
Schools were also told to contact parents to bring their children home, it said.
An API reading of 0-50 is categorised as good, 51-100 as moderate, 101-200 as unhealthy, 201-300 as very unhealthy and anything above 301 as hazardous.
As of 7am, the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading at Samarahan was at 195, Kuching 196, Kapit 138, Sarikei 117, Sri Aman 127 and Sibu 110.
Schools in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negri Sembilan and Malacca were told to close on Tuesday, but reopened today after API readings decreased to the lower end of the unhealthy zone.
Meanwhile, Bernama reports that 12 areas recorded unhealthy air levels this morning, with API readings of between 100 and 200.
These were Malacca City (120), Bukit Rambai (124), Nilai (107), Port Dickson (109), Seremban (114), Kapit (135), Sarikei (111), Sibu (105), Sri Aman (129), Banting (114), Shah Alam (105) and Putrajaya (105).
Twenty-five areas recorded moderate API readings this morning. Among the areas are Balok Baru, Indera Mahkota and Jerantut in Pahang, Seri Manjung in Perak, Keningau, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan and Tawau in Sabah, Kuala Selangor, Port Klang and Petaling Jaya in Selangor.
Batu Muda and Cheras in Kuala Lumpur, Pasir Gudang and Muar in Johor, Kemaman, Kuala Terengganu and Paka in Terengganu, Bintulu, Miri and Limbang in Sarawak, and Labuan also recorded moderate air quality.
The public can visit http://apims.doe.gov.my to know the API readings in their respective areas.
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