Kota Kinabalu: The State Government has activated the State Disaster Operations Command Centre (PKOB) alongside district centres in Kota Kinabalu, Keningau, and Papar as the Air Pollutant Index (API) approached 200.
State Secretary Datuk Zainudin Aman (pic), who chairs the State Disaster Management Committee, said the situation was brought to the attention of Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor on Wednesday.
As of 5pm on Tuesday, unhealthy API levels were recorded in Kota Kinabalu (177), Kimanis, Papar (166), Keningau (165), Tawau (153), and Kota Kinabalu Polytechnic (153), placing them under Alert Level 1A of the National Haze Action Plan.
Zainudin said the surge in readings was driven by winds carrying haze towards Sabah and warned that air quality would continue to worsen without rain in Kalimantan.
Prescribed Alert Level 1A measures include suspending outdoor and co-curricular school activities, stepping up industrial and landfill monitoring, and recommending school closures alongside home-based learning if the API breaches 200.
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