PORTAL RASMI
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JABATAN PERDANA MENTERI
AGENSI PENGURUSAN BENCANA NEGARA
JAKARTA: Jerebu akibat kebakaran hutan di Indonesia menyebabkan kualiti udara merosot ke tahap tidak sihat di beberapa kawasan Asia Tenggara, mendorong penutupan sekolah dan amaran pihak berkuasa kepada jutaan penduduk supaya kekal berada di dalam rumah.
Menurut pemantau kualiti udara Switzerland, IQAir, tahap pencemaran berada pada kategori ‘sangat tidak sihat’ hingga ‘berbahaya’ di beberapa kawasan Filipina dan sebahagian besar Borneo, ketika pihak berkuasa meningkatkan tindakan menangani krisis rentas sempadan yang semakin buruk.
Kebakaran hutan merupakan kejadian bermusim di Asia Tenggara, namun keadaan kering berpanjangan dan suhu lebih tinggi akibat fenomena cuaca El Nino meningkatkan risiko kebakaran lebih meluas serta berpanjangan.
Data rasmi menunjukkan jumlah titik panas kebakaran di Indonesia melonjak hampir 10,000 pada Ogos, 10 kali ganda berbanding dua tahun lalu, manakala lebih 200,000 hektar kawasan terbakar setakat tahun ini.
Di Filipina, Quezon City, bandar terbesar dan paling ramai penduduk di wilayah ibu negara, membatalkan kelas bersemuka di sekolah awam pada 1 September susulan keadaan jerebu.
“Orang ramai dinasihatkan mengehadkan aktiviti luar untuk tempoh panjang, terutama golongan yang sensitif terhadap pencemaran udara,” menurut Biro Pengurusan Alam Sekitar Filipina menerusi Facebook.
Pihak berkuasa turut menggesa penduduk supaya kekal berada di dalam rumah dan memakai pelitup muka ketika berada di luar.
Sementara di Sarawak, yang berkongsi pulau itu dengan Indonesia dan Brunei, bersiap sedia menutup pejabat serta melaksanakan operasi pembenihan awan susulan keadaan jerebu yang semakin buruk.
Menurut IQAir, ibu negeri Sarawak, Kuching, merekodkan antara tahap kualiti udara terburuk di dunia selama beberapa hari.
Di Indonesia, ribuan anggota bomba dikerahkan di lapangan di Kalimantan, selain pesawat digunakan untuk melakukan operasi pengeboman air dari udara bagi memadam kebakaran, kata Timbalan Kementerian Penguatkuasaan Undang-Undang Alam Sekitar, Rizal Irawan, seperti dipetik agensi berita Antara.
Pencemaran udara turut mencapai tahap berbahaya di wilayah Borneo Indonesia serta beberapa bandar di Pulau Sumatera, sekali gus menjejaskan aktiviti harian dan operasi perniagaan.
Kelas di sekolah dipindahkan secara dalam talian, manakala penduduk mengehadkan tempoh berada di luar rumah.
Kedai dan pemandu perkhidmatan e-hailing turut melaporkan penurunan permintaan apabila lebih ramai penduduk memilih untuk berada di rumah, manakala puluhan penerbangan dibatalkan atau ditangguhkan akibat jarak penglihatan rendah, menurut laporan media tempatan.- BLOOMBERG
KUCHING, 1 Sept: Orang ramai boleh menggunakan pelitup muka alternatif seperti KN95, KF94 atau FFP2 sekiranya pelitup N95 sukar didapati ketika keadaan jerebu.
Pakar Perubatan Kesihatan Awam Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS), Prof Dr Helmy Hazmi berkata, pelitup berkenaan direka untuk menapis partikel halus dengan baik apabila dipakai dengan betul serta dipastikan melekap rapat pada muka.
“Pelitup muka pembedahan tiga lapis yang lebih mudah didapati masih boleh menapis sebahagian partikel tetapi pelindungannya terhadap PM2.5 jauh lebih rendah berbanding pelitup seperti N95,”katanya ketika dihubungi TVS hari ini
Menurutnya, walaupun tahap perlindungan pelitup pembedahan terhadap PM2.5 adalah lebih rendah, penggunaannya masih memberi manfaat berbanding tidak memakai sebarang pelitup.
Katanya walaupun satu pelitup pembedahan mungkin hanya memberikan pelindungan sekitar 45 peratus sahaja terhadap PM2.5 bergantung kepada jenis pelitup dan cara pemakaian, ia tidak bermaksud pelitup muka pembedahan langsung tidak berguna.
Menurut Dr Helmy memakai pelitup pembedahan adalah masih lebih baik daripada tidak memakai apa-apa pelitup langsung.
“Penggunaan dua pelitup pembedahan (double masking) boleh meningkatkan sedikit tahap perlindungan dengan mengurangkan kebocoran udara di bahagian tepi.
“Ini mungkin meningkatkan sedikit perlindungan kerana dapat mengurangkan kebocoran udara di bahagian tepi,”katanya lagi.
Tambah Dr Helmy kadar penapisan meningkat kepada sekitar 66 peratus apabila dua pelitup digunakan tetapi ia masih tidak menyamai perlindungan pelitup seperti N95 yang dipakai dengan baik.
Beliau dalam masa sama turut menasihati orang ramai supaya tidak menganggap penggunaan pelitup muka membolehkan mereka berada lebih lama di luar ketika keadaan jerebu teruk. – TVS
MOH monitors rise in respiratory infections and conjunctivitis in Sarawak amid haze crisis
- Admin UKK
- Berita
SIBU, Sept 1 — The Ministry of Health (MOH) is monitoring the increase in cases of acute respiratory tract infections (URTI) and conjunctivitis in Sarawak following the haze conditions affecting several areas in the state.
Deputy Health Minister Datuk Hanifah Hajar Taib said continuous monitoring is being carried out through health facilities including health clinics and hospitals to ensure that any increase in cases related to the haze can be dealt with immediately.
She said based on monitoring by the Sarawak State Health Department (JKN), the average URTI cases increased from about 1,717 cases per week at the beginning of the year to 1,752 cases per week recently.
Indonesian forecast warns pollutants moving from Kalimantan, Sumatra fires towards Malaysia and Singapore
- Admin UKK
- Berita
JAKARTA, Sept 1 — Pollutants from fires in Indonesia’s Sumatra and Kalimantan are continuing to move towards the Strait of Malacca and Natuna Sea, and potentially towards Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, according to a forecast presented by Indonesian authorities on Tuesday.
The forecast by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) came as fire spots declined sharply across priority provinces in Kalimantan and remained relatively low in Sumatra on Tuesday, although severe air pollution persisted in parts of both islands.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) Acting Head of Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre Berton Panjaitan said Central Kalimantan recorded the highest number at 63, down from 72 a day earlier, while West Kalimantan fell to 30 from 104 and South Kalimantan to 13 from 55.
KOTA KINABALU (Sept 1): Sabahans, particularly vulnerable groups and those involved in outdoor activities, have been urged to exercise caution as several areas in the state recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings.
Minister of Youth Development, Sports Advancement and Creative Economy (MYSpaCE) Datuk Nizam Abu Bakar Titingan said the State Department of Environment (DOE) had attributed the deterioration, among other factors, to thick smoke from forest and peat fires in Kalimantan carried by winds across Borneo, including Sabah.
According to DOE readings, several areas including Tawau, Semporna and Kota Kinabalu had recorded unhealthy API levels.
Nizam said the readings could fluctuate depending on weather conditions and wind movement.
“I would like to advise the public, especially children, youths, senior citizens, as well as those with health and respiratory problems, to reduce physical and outdoor activities if air quality reaches unhealthy levels,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Nizam also called on sports associations, academies, clubs, coaches and programme organisers to closely monitor API readings in their respective areas and make appropriate adjustments to training and outdoor activities.
“The health and safety of athletes, players and participants must remain the priority,” he said.
Nizam said high-intensity outdoor activities should be reduced, postponed or moved to suitable indoor venues if conditions were unfavourable.
He also urged the public to refrain from open burning, which could further affect air quality.
“Any incidents involving open burning or fires should be reported immediately to the authorities so that appropriate action can be taken,” he said.
Nizam added that the state government, through the relevant agencies, would continue to monitor developments, while the DOE and other agencies were taking appropriate measures, including increased monitoring, patrols and enforcement.
Nizam also called on the members of the public to cooperate with the authorities, follow official advisories and regularly check the latest API readings through official channels.