đŸ•’ Created · Updated

King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar Consents to State of Emergency in Serian District Due to Hazardous Haze

King Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar consented to a state of emergency in the Serian district of Sarawak, Malaysia, following hazardous air pollution levels caused by wildfires in neighboring Indonesia. The administration announced that the Air Pollutant Index in Serian reached 521, surpassing the threshold for an emergency declaration. Under the order, 647 schools across 12 districts, including Serian and Kuching, will close for five days starting September 7. Government and private offices, plantations, construction sites, and quarries are required to close, while essential services like supermarkets, petrol stations, and banks remain open. The haze, originating from forest and peat fires in Indonesia, has also affected neighboring countries including Brunei and Singapore. In the Philippines, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the suspension of classes in the capital region and over a dozen provinces. Authorities in Sarawak have extended a three-day cloud-seeding operation to help mitigate the pollution. Residents are advised to minimize outdoor activities due to the hazardous air quality, which has been described as the worst haze episode in the state since 2019.

Sources

Paywall and unreadable sources