Malaysia lifts emergency declaration in Sarawak district as fire haze eases, though air quality remains poor
Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
Newswire
Official statement
Outcome reported
- Malaysia lifted the emergency declaration in Serian after its Air Pollution Index fell to 222 from 519 on Friday.
- The emergency followed hazardous haze from fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan that also forced some schools in Sarawak to close.
- Authorities said conditions remained very unhealthy in parts of Serian and Samarahan and urged residents to limit outdoor activity.
Malaysia has lifted an emergency declaration in Sarawak’s Serian district after air pollution fell below hazardous levels, but the haze has not cleared.
The emergency began on Friday, when fires in Indonesia’s Kalimantan sent pollution on Borneo to dangerous levels. Thick haze affected Sarawak and forced schools to close in some areas.
The Air Pollution Index in Serian stood at 222 on Monday, down from 519 on Friday. Malaysia classifies readings above 300 as hazardous, while 500 is the threshold for declaring an emergency.
The Prime Minister’s Office said King Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar consented to ending the emergency after receiving advice from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak Premier Abang Johari Openg, along with reports from government agencies.
Officials cautioned that several areas, especially Serian and Samarahan, still faced very unhealthy air. The federal and Sarawak governments said they would continue monitoring conditions and advised residents to limit outdoor activities and follow official instructions.
About this summary
Originally published by CNA in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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