Serian, Sarawak: Emergency declared due to hazardous haze

Serian emergency transboundary haze Sarawak air quality Indonesian wildfires Air Pollutant Index

Malaysia has declared a state of emergency in the Serian Division of Sarawak after the Air Pollutant Index (API) reached hazardous levels, peaking above 500. The pollution is attributed to transboundary haze caused by widespread wildfires in Indonesia, specifically in Kalimantan and Sumatra.

As part of the emergency measures, 647 primary and secondary schools in Serian will close from September 7 through at least the end of next week. While government and private offices, plantations, and construction sites are permitted to continue operations, they must implement strict health precautionary measures. Authorities have also advised residents to minimize outdoor activities and wear N95 masks if exposure is unavoidable.

To mitigate the haze, Malaysian authorities have extended cloud-seeding operations through at least Monday. The Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee continues to monitor air quality across the region, noting that while Serian remains the most critical area, other parts of Sarawak, such as Kuching and Sri Aman, have also recorded unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality levels.

Entities

Abang Johari Tun Openg · Anwar Ibrahim · Douglas Uggah Embas · Indonesia · Sarawak · Sarawak Disaster Management Committee · Serian · Serian Division · Sultan Ibrahim

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] Serian was the only area in Malaysia with a hazardous Air Pollutant Index reading above 300 as of September 5. www.malaysianupdate.my · sarawakdaily.com
[● 5 SOURCES] The Sarawak education department announced the closure of 647 primary and secondary schools from September 7 to 11. barbadosgazette.com · www.thearabianstories.com · haitigazette.com · www.aljazeera.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Serian will remain under a state of emergency for three more days despite improving air quality. www.malaysianupdate.my · sarawakdaily.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The Air Pollutant Index is primarily affected by wind direction and the location of hotspots. www.malaysianupdate.my · sarawakdaily.com
[● 10 SOURCES] The Air Pollutant Index in Serian fell to 334 on September 5, down from over 500 on September 4. alhijrahnews.com · www.malaysianupdate.my · sarawakdaily.com · barbadosgazette.com · www.thearabianstories.com · +2 more
[● 13 SOURCES] King Sultan Ibrahim consented to the declaration of a state of emergency in the Serian Division of Sarawak. alhijrahnews.com · www.malaysianupdate.my · barbadosgazette.com · www.thearabianstories.com · www.aljazeera.com · +5 more
[● 5 SOURCES] Workplaces and businesses in Serian are permitted to continue operations provided they implement health precautionary measures. www.malaysianupdate.my · sarawakdaily.com · www.freemalaysiatoday.com
[● 8 SOURCES] Authorities have extended a cloud-seeding operation to at least Monday to mitigate the haze. barbadosgazette.com · www.thearabianstories.com · haitigazette.com · www.aljazeera.com · www.malay.news · +1 more
[● 2 SOURCES] The haze is driven by wildfires in Indonesia, with 184 hotspots recorded in Kalimantan and 373 in Sumatra. berita.rtm.gov.my