By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 12: A total of 108 schools in the Serian Division have been temporarily closed after the Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in the area exceeded 200 amid worsening haze conditions.
The Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) said the closures were implemented as a preventive measure to protect the safety, health and well-being of students and school personnel.
The move followed API readings of 212 in Tebedu and 202 in Serian as of 4pm today, placing both areas in the very unhealthy category.
“Under the National Haze Action Plan, schools, kindergartens and nurseries under the jurisdiction of the Sarawak State Education Department will be closed immediately once the API reaches 200,” it said in a statement today.
SDMC said Home-Based Teaching and Learning (PdPR) would continue throughout the closure period to ensure students’ learning remained uninterrupted.
The committee said ambient air quality in Sarawak had shown an upward trend in API readings since Aug 1.
As of 4pm today, 11 other areas were in the unhealthy category, namely Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Bintulu, Samalaju, Miri, Lundu, Lubok Antu and Lawas.
Five areas, including Mukah, Kapit, ILP Miri, Limbang and Bario, recorded moderate API readings.
According to the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), 75 hotspots were detected in Sarawak between Aug 1 and 11, while 3,853 hotspots were detected in Kalimantan, Indonesia, during the same period.
SDMC said the Southwest Monsoon, which began on May 14 and is expected to end in September, could potentially contribute to transboundary haze as winds consistently blow from the southwest.
Sarawak could continue to experience haze over the next few days if biomass burning increases outside the state’s borders, it said.
SDMC advised the public to reduce outdoor activities, particularly when air quality reaches unhealthy levels or higher, while high-risk groups should limit their exposure to polluted air. — DayakDaily
