Malaysia Declares Emergency as Serian Haze Index Hits 519

Malaysia has placed the district of Serian in the state of Sarawak in an emergency condition owing to the presence of very hazardous levels of air pollution arising due to thick haze caused by forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia. According to official figures, the Air Pollution Index (API) reading stood at 519 in Serian on Friday, way above the hazardous threshold level of 300 that exists in Malaysia. The emergency has been placed only in the district of Serian as smoke from forest fires in the Indonesian part of Borneo continues to cause problems in some areas of Sarawak. Extraordinary steps are being taken to ensure people’s safety, including efforts to produce rainfall through cloud-seeding.

Why Did Malaysia Declare an Emergency in Serian?

The direct reason was the deteriorating air quality condition.

The API reading for Serian touched 519, which is beyond the 500 point mark beyond which an emergency can be declared in Malaysia. API reading above 300 is considered to be hazardous.

According to the state disaster management committee chairman of Sarawak Douglas Uggah Embas, the state asked for an emergency declaration as the pollution levels had crossed the threshold level.

Where Does the Haze Originate From?

Haze in Sarawak has been attributed primarily to forest fires in the adjacent nation of Indonesia.

Sarawak and Indonesia both occupy the island of Borneo, which means that smoke from the forest fires in Indonesia may move to Sarawak through the border provided the weather is favorable.

There have been cases of forest and land clearance fires leading to haze in parts of Southeast Asia, especially during dry seasons when smoke may travel large distances before accumulating over populated areas.

In the most recent case, the haze has already begun impacting people in Sarawak after previous closures of schools owing to air pollution.

What Measures Have Been Taken by Malaysia?

Authorities are putting in place several measures aimed at minimizing the effects of the pollution and improving the quality of air.

This includes cloud seeding, whereby authorities are carrying out cloud-seeding activities aimed at inducing rain. The rain will help minimize the number of particles suspended in the air, reducing the level of haze in the affected area.

The emergency applies only to Serian district within a radius of approximately 20 kilometers.

The smaller geographical region makes it easy for the authorities to concentrate on emergency measures while providing necessary services in the affected region.

Are the Essential Services Going to Operate?

Though there was an emergency declaration, the operation of essential services will go on.

As reported by the officials, the supermarkets, gas stations and banks will be kept open.

Thus, the emergency declaration has nothing to do with putting a stop to all the usual activity in the district but focuses on tackling the health and environmental hazards of the dangerous haze.

The officials will monitor the state of things as the smoke continues coming from the fire.

Why Is Southeast Asia Vulnerable to Haze?

Cross-border haze is a recurring environmental problem in Southeast Asia.

During dry weather, forest and peatland fires can spread quickly, while limited rainfall can allow smoke to remain in the atmosphere for longer periods.

When winds carry the smoke across national borders, neighbouring countries can experience severe deterioration in air quality even though the fires themselves are located elsewhere.