Haze: Lundu API rises to 285 as four Sarawak areas remain very unhealthy on Sept 7
by Lim How Pim · Borneo Post OnlineKUCHING (Sept 7): Four air quality monitoring stations in Sarawak continued to record very unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings by 4pm on Monday, according to the Natural Resources and Environment Board’s Air Pollutant Index (API) Status for Sarawak.
The API in Serian rose to 256 by 4pm, 34 points higher than the noon reading, while Lundu’s API also increased to 285 from 260.
Although still recording very unhealthy air quality, Samarahan saw a slight drop in its API from 236 at noon to 233 by 4pm, while Kanowit’s API remained unchanged at 222.
Eight of the 14 locations with unhealthy air quality by 4pm recorded slight increases in API readings.
Tebedu had a sharp increase from 177 at noon to 196 by 4pm, while Limbang (138 to 151), Sri Aman (183 to 188), Betong (182 to 186), Lubok Antu (197 to 200), Kuching (193 to 196), Miri (166 to 167) and Lawas (149 to 150).
Six other areas with unhealthy API readings recorded slight drops, with Sarikei falling from 197 at noon to 195 by 4pm, Sibu (185 to 184), Mukah (182 to 178), Bintulu (169 to 167), Samalaju (175 to 174) and Industrial Training Institute Miri (169 to 167).
Kapit and Bario continued to record moderate air quality. The API reading in Kapit climbed to 93 from 92, while Bario saw a drop to 78 from 90.
An API reading from 201 to 300 is classified as very unhealthy while API readings range from 101 to 200 are categorised as unhealthy and from 51 to 100 as moderate.