Haze worsens as 21 areas record unhealthy API readings as of 8am

PETALING JAYA: Haze conditions worsened with 21 areas recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 8am on Tuesday (Oct 6), up from 11 areas as of 4pm on Monday, according to the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS).

Eight of the areas were in Johor, with Batu Pahat recording the highest reading nationwide at 188, followed by Kluang (169), Segamat (166), Larkin (166), Pasir Gudang (165), Tangkak (164), Kota Tinggi (155) and Pengerang (154).

Outside Johor, the highest readings were recorded in Nilai (161) and Seremban (157) in Negeri Sembilan, followed by Bandaraya Melaka (155), Balok Baru Kuantan in Pahang (153), Putrajaya (152) and Rompin in Pahang (152).

Indera Mahkota Kuantan in Pahang (142), Cheras in WP Kuala Lumpur (140), Kemaman in Terengganu (134), Batu Muda in WP Kuala Lumpur (120), Bukit Rambai in Melaka (115), Paka in Terengganu (111) and Jerantut in Pahang (102) also recorded unhealthy readings.

IPD Serian in Sarawak (150) and Johan Setia in Selangor (144), which were in the unhealthy range as of 4pm on Monday, are now both in the moderate range at 98.

Among the areas with the highest moderate readings were Alor Gajah in Melaka (100), IPD Serian in Sarawak and Johan Setia in Selangor (98 each), Kuching in Sarawak (94), Tawau in Sabah (93) and Petaling Jaya in Selangor (91).

Shah Alam (91) and Banting (91) in Selangor, Samalaju in Sarawak (90) and Port Dickson in Negeri Sembilan (88) also recorded elevated moderate readings.

Meanwhile, 41 areas around the country recorded API readings at the moderate level, down from 55 as of 4pm on Monday, while five areas recorded good readings - Minden in Pulau Pinang (45), Kota Kinabalu in Sabah (44), Kangar in Perlis (35), Langkawi in Kedah (29) and Balik Pulau in Pulau Pinang (23).

API readings of between zero and 50 indicate good air quality, 51 to 100 moderate, 101 to 200 unhealthy, 201 to 300 very unhealthy, while readings above 300 are categorised as hazardous.

API data is released hourly based on readings from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide. -THE STAR