OFFICIAL PORTAL
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
PRIME MINISTER'S DEPARTMENT
NATIONAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT AGENCY
States in the thick of it – again
- Admin UKK
- Berita
PETALING JAYA: Five locations recorded unhealthy air quality as of 3pm yesterday, according to the Environment Department (DOE).
They are Nilai, Negri Sembilan, with an Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of 162, Banting and Johan Setia in Selangor with readings of 154, Putrajaya (139) and Alor Gajah, Melaka (110).
In addition, 57 areas across the country recorded moderate air quality levels, while six areas were reported to have good air quality.
An API reading of 0-50 is categorised as good; 51-100 as moderate; 101-200 as unhealthy; 201-300 as very unhealthy; and anything above 300 is hazardous.
DOE director-general Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaffa said yesterday’s deterioration in air quality was caused by haze drifting into Malaysia over the past 24 hours.
“No large scale fires have been detected within the country so far,” he said in a statement.
According to a July 19 report issued by the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre in Singapore, satellite imagery from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed the presence of 65 hotspots in Sumatra, 30 in Kalimantan and four in Malaysia – with two each in Pahang and Selangor.
“Dry conditions were reported across the southern region of Peninsular Malaysia, as well as in Sumatra, Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands and southern Kalimantan,” Wan Abdul Latiff said.
“Isolated hotspots were detected in Sumatra, while a number of hotspots were also observed in Peninsular Malaysia, Kalimantan, Vietnam and Thailand.
“The DOE has stepped up enforcement operations and daily patrols in areas that are prone to open burning and continues to monitor API readings nationwide.”
Wan Abdul Latiff said the National Open Burning Action Plan and the National Haze Action Plan have both been activated to coordinate government agency efforts in tackling open burning and addressing the haze.
Landowners have been urged to closely monitor areas under their care, especially locations that are frequently affected by fires such as landfills, forests, peatlands, plantations, agricultural zones and industrial sites.
“They are advised to take precautionary measures to prevent trespassing by irresponsible parties that could lead to either intentional or accidental open burning,” he said.
He said that under the National Haze Action Plan, the National Disaster Management Agency will activate disaster management committees at the district, state or federal level when the API remains above 150 for more than 24 hours.
“All outdoor school activities must be suspended when the API exceeds 100. Schools, kindergartens and childcare centres are to be closed immediately if the API exceeds 200,” he said.
According to Wan Abdul Latiff, cloud seeding operations will be carried out if weather conditions are suitable and the API remains above 150 for more than 24 hours.
KUALA LUMPUR: Empat lokasi baharu di negeri Pahang, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu dan Melaka mencatat bacaan Indeks Pencemaran Udara (IPU) tidak sihat setakat 8 pagi tadi.
Semakan menerusi laman sesawang Sistem Pengurusan Indeks Pencemaran Udara (APIMS), Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS) mendapati Temerloh, Cheras, Kemaman, Bukit Rambai, menjadi lokasi baharu daripada sembilan lokasi yang merekodkan bacaan IPU tidak sihat.
Kawasan Alor Gajah, Melaka mencatat bacaan IPU tertinggi dengan 159, diikuti Nilai, Negeri Sembilan (158); manakala Banting, Selangor (155); Johan Setia, Selangor (152) dan Putrajaya (123).
Empat lokasi baharu mencatat bacaan IPU tidak sihat adalah Temerloh, Pahang (156); Cheras, Kuala Lumpur (152); Kemaman, Terengganu (152) dan Bukit Rambai, Melaka (103).
APIMS turut mencatatkan, tiga kawasan merekodkan kualiti udara pada tahap baik dan 56 kawasan mencatatkan status kualiti udara pada tahap sederhana.
Terdahulu, media melaporkan jerebu rentas sempadan didapati sedang melanda beberapa negeri pantai barat Semenanjung Malaysia.
Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Meteorologi Malaysia (MET Malaysia), Dr Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip dilaporkan berkata, laporan dikeluarkan oleh Asean Specialized Meteorological Centre (ASMC) mendapati terdapat 79 titik panas di kawasan Sumatera.
Menurutnya, ia berkemungkinan menjadi punca kepada keadaan berjerebu (di Malaysia) yang dibawa oleh tiupan angin barat daya.
Human activity blamed for recent fires
- Admin UKK
- Berita
KUALA LUMPUR: Recent forest and bush fires reported over the past few days in Malaysia are believed to have been caused by human activity, says Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Nor Hisham Mohammad.
“Natural combustion is unlikely in this weather, so it’s highly probable the fires were caused by human actions, even though no specific forensic investigation has been carried out,” he said.
Nor Hisham said one of the latest forest fires covered about 1.2ha in Bukit Kajang Prima on July 19, requiring 22 firefighters and four fire engines to extinguish.
He said a separate bush fire was reported earlier near Bukit Jalil, prompting firefighters to act swiftly to prevent the blaze from spreading.
“Our monitoring and operations remain under control. No major fires have been reported so far, including in peatland areas,” he told Bernama.
From Jan 1 to July 19 this year, a total of 7,223 fire cases were recorded nationwide, involving bush and field fires, forest fires and open burning of waste.
Bush or grass fires accounted for the highest number of cases at 4,733, followed by waste fires (1,662), forest fires (537) and farm or plantation fires (291).
Selangor recorded the highest number of incidents with 1,364 cases, followed by Perak (938), Johor (831), Kedah (662), Kuala Lumpur (113) and Labuan (44). Putrajaya reported the lowest number, with just eight.
Meanwhile, several areas in Selangor and Negri Sembilan, including Johan Setia and Nilai, recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index levels yesterday, believed to be caused by transboundary haze from forest fires in Indonesia.
Nor Hisham urged the public to refrain from open burning and to report any signs of fire to prevent them from spreading.
KUALA LUMPUR: More areas have reported poor air quality readings as concerns grow over the country being affected by transboundary haze.
According to the hourly readings published on the Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) website operated by the Department of Environment (DoE), nine areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 8am today, with Alor Gajah in Melaka the worst affected.
Alor Gajah reported an unhealthy API reading of 159, while Bukit Rambai registered an unhealthy reading of 115.
Other areas that recorded unhealthy API readings include Nilai in Negri Sembilan (158); Banting (155) and Johan Setia (152) in Selangor; Temerloh (155) in Pahang; and Kemaman in Terengganu (152).
Cheras (152) and Putrajaya (124) also reported unhealthy API readings.
KUALITI udara di beberapa kawasan utama negara terus menunjukkan trend penurunan apabila enam lokasi direkodkan berada pada tahap tidak sihat setakat jam 8.40 malam, Ahad.
Menurut laman sesawang Sistem Pengurusan Indeks Pencemaran Udara Malaysia (APIMS) kendalian Jabatan Alam Sekitar, kawasan Nilai, Negeri Sembilan merekodkan bacaan IPU tertinggi iaitu 161, diikuti Banting, Selangor (155); Johan Setia, Selangor (153); Alor Gajah, Melaka (152); Putrajaya, Wilayah Persekutuan Putrajaya (147) dan Temerloh, Pahang (113).
Walaupun, tiada kawasan yang mencatatkan bacaan IPU sangat tidak sihat dan berbahaya, namun keadaan semasa menimbulkan kebimbangan terhadap trend kualiti udara yang boleh terus merosot jika tiada perubahan cuaca atau tindakan mitigasi diambil.
Sebelum ini, Ketua Pengarah Jabatan Alam Sekitar (JAS), Datuk Wan Abdul Latiff Wan Jaafar berkata, kemerosotan kualiti udara pada Ahad masih dipengaruhi oleh pergerakan asap jerebu yang memasuki rantau negara sepanjang tempoh 24 jam lalu.
Menurut beliau, berdasarkan laporan ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) yang berpusat di Singapura pada Sabtu, imej satelit National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)-20 mengesan sebanyak 65 titik panas (hotspot) di Sumatera.
Dalam pada itu, ASMC dilaporkan mengaktifkan amaran tahap dua bagi rantau ASEAN Selatan susulan peningkatan ketara aktiviti titik panas dan cuaca kering berpanjangan yang melanda kawasan berkenaan.
Pengaktifan tersebut menyaksikan laporan terkini mengenai situasi jerebu serantau akan dikeluarkan dua kali sehari, masing-masing pada jam 3 pagi dan 9 pagi Waktu Universal Selaras (UTC) atau bersamaan jam 11 pagi dan 5 petang waktu Malaysia.
Melihat kepada peningkatan kawasan terlibat, orang ramai khususnya penduduk di kawasan terjejas perlu bersedia menghadapi kemungkinan bacaan IPU kekal tidak sihat atau meningkat pada hari Isnin sekiranya tiada hujan atau tiupan angin yang membantu menyuraikan pencemaran.
Sudah tentu, golongan kanak-kanak, warga emas, ibu mengandung dan mereka yang menghidap penyakit pernafasan perlu membuat persediaan awal dari segi mengehadkan aktiviti luar dan memakai pelitup muka apabila berada di kawasan terbuka.
Kawasan Lembah Klang dan sekitar pantai barat Semenanjung dijangka kekal berisiko tinggi memandangkan aktiviti perindustrian, pembakaran terbuka dan cuaca panas kering menyumbang kepada kepekatan bahan pencemaran.
Kualiti udara yang terus merosot di beberapa kawasan memberi isyarat jelas bahawa pemantauan rapi dan tanggungjawab bersama diperlukan bagi mengurangkan risiko kesihatan awam.
Sekiranya tiada perubahan dalam corak cuaca atau langkah pengurangan pencemaran, keadaan ini berpotensi berpanjangan dan lebih buruk dalam tempoh terdekat.
Orang ramai dinasihatkan untuk mengikuti perkembangan semasa melalui saluran rasmi seperti laman web APIMS dan mematuhi nasihat pihak berkuasa dari semasa ke semasa.
