KUCHING: Air quality at the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) Miri returned to hazardous level yesterday after thick smog engulfed parts of the state’s northern region. People residing in the area resorted to wearing face masks to protect themselves from the dust and air pollutants that blanketed the city. The Air Pollutant Index (API) readings at the ILP station had increased steadily since Wednesday night.
At 5pm yesterday, the API reading at ILP Miri stood at 412 — a drastic increase from an unhealthy reading of only 151 recorded at 11pm the previous night.
An hour past midnight (1am), the reading increased to 243 and at 2am the reading breached the hazardous level at 336 and rose steadily till it reached its highest at 5pm yesterday. An API reading of zero to 50 is good, 51 to 100 (moderate), 101 to 200 (unhealthy), 201 to 300 (very unhealthy) and 301 and above is hazardous.
This resulted in the closure SK Kuala Baram II and SJK Chung Hua Tudan affecting a total of 1,970 pupils. According to a statement issued by the state Education Department, the schooling session at the two schools was stopped at about 9am due to the severe haze situation.
The very unhealthy air situation in Kuala Baram is a result of peat soil fires in areas near the school. “The worst affected schools are SJK Chung Hua Tudan, which is located near the Industrial Training Institute (ILP) which recorded hazardous API level,” the statement said.
The Department of Environment’s (DOE) nine monitoring stations recorded moderate readings: Miri (97), Sri Aman (59), Kuching (62), Samarahan (59), Sarikei (56), Bintulu (61), Samalaju (53), Sibu (58) and Mukah (51). While good API readings were recorded in Limbang (50) and Kapit (47).
According to the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN), aerial surveys from the Civil Defence Force (APM) drone unit detected smoke at Sector 1, near a junction to Hamidah Welfare Complex, Miri. Two hotspots were detected in Sarawak, Kalimantan (22) and Sumatera (13).
Meanwhile, state Fire and Rescue Department (Bomba) assistant operations director Tiong Ling Hii said extinguishing works entered its 22nd day in Kuala Baram.
He added that water-bombings by a department helicopter were carried out while Naim’s ground workers were involved in Sector 2. At Section 3, water bombing continued to be carried out by the Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) to douse flames at Lot 4041 and 4042.
