Port Klang, Seri Manjung classified hazardous

The haze is moving north with Johor and Negeri Sembilan recording better API readings.

PETALING JAYA: As the haze moves northwards, areas in Selangor and Perak have likewise recorded increased Air Pollutant Index (API) readings today.

Port Klang in Selangor and Seri Manjung in Perak registered hazardous Air Pollutant Index (API) readings of 495 and 307 respectively at 8am.

As of 11am, Port Klang and Seri Manjung are still at the hazardous level. However, Port Klang’s API reading has decreased to 484 while Seri Manjung’s API reading has conversely increased to 333.

Although the API reading at Port Klang is at the hazardous level, the shipping business is still going on as usual with several precautions taken by the authority.

All areas in Perak recorded increased API readings with Jalan Tasek, Ipoh increasing from 139 to 148, Kampung Air Putih, Taiping (142 to 154), SK Jalan Pagoh, Ipoh going up to 193 from 182 and Tanjung Malim from 175 to 179.

Three areas in Selangor remained at the very unhealthy level with Banting, Kuala Selangor and Shah Alam at 266, 229 and 291 respectively.

However, API readings of all areas in Selangor decreased slightly from the recorded 7am readings, with the exception of Shah Alam.

Further proving that the haze is moving upwards, all areas in Negeri Sembilan, too, had decreased API readings with Nilai going down from 177 to 168, Port Dickson’s 171 to 158 and Seremban from 165 to 144.

Furthermore, the situation in Johor has definitely improved with only Muar remaining at the unhealthy level of 132.

As of 11am, 27 areas recorded moderate API readings while 19 areas were classified as unhealthy.

The air pollutant index classifies readings from 0 to 50 as good, 51 to 100 as moderate, 101 to 200 as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy and readings of 301 and above as hazardous.

Schools closed in Manjung

Meanwhile in IPOH, all 102 schools in the Manjung district have been ordered to close their afternoon session today.

Manjung district education officer Muhd Suod Mat Thani said the schools comprised 21 secondary and 81 primary schools and involved almost 40,000 pupils and students.

“We’ve obtained permission from the State Education Department and informed the school principals and headmasters. The morning session went on as usual as the students were already at school today,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

He said the school sessions for today and tomorrow would be replaced later. Yesterday, a meeting was held among school principals and headmasters in the district to update them on the haze situation and the necessary measures to be taken, he said.