KUCHING: Air quality across Sarawak improved on Jul 28 morning, with all monitoring stations recording good or moderate Air Pollutant Index (API) readings after Serian, the only area to enter the unhealthy category a day earlier, returned to the moderate range.
According to the Department of Environment’s Air Pollutant Index Management System’s (APIMS) website, Serian recorded the state’s highest API reading at 88, followed by Samarahan (84), Kuching (83) and Sri Aman (71) as of 7am.
All four locations remained within the moderate category.
Other areas recording moderate air quality were Mukah (49), Sarikei (47), Sibu (45), Bintulu (42) and Samalaju (40), while Miri (24), ILP Miri (19), Limbang (18) and Kapit (17) recorded good air quality.
According to the API guide published by the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB), readings between 0 and 50 are classified as good, indicating low pollution without adverse effects on health, while readings between 51 and 100 fall within the moderate category, where pollution levels generally do not pose health risks.
However, API readings of between 101 and 200 are categorised as unhealthy and may worsen the condition of individuals with heart or lung diseases.
Readings between 201 and 300 are considered very unhealthy and may affect public health, particularly among vulnerable groups, while readings exceeding 300 are classified as hazardous.
The improved readings came after Serian recorded an unhealthy API reading of 153 at 5pm on Monday (July 27), making it the only location in Sarawak to reach the unhealthy category as haze affected parts of the state.
