Haze highly expected in Sarawak - Uggah

Haze is highly expected in Sarawak following the increase in the number of notable hot spots in south and west Kalimantan, Indonesia, that will cause cross-border haze, besides local sources of haze caused by open burning.

Sarawak Disaster Management Committee (SDMC) chairperson Amar Douglas Uggah Embas (above) today said the southwest wind was forecast to be dominant for several upcoming days, which would affect air quality in Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, and Betong.

"The country is now in the Southwest Monsoon phase, which is predicted to last until September or early October, and the weather during this season will normally be drier with less rain compared to other months," he told a press conference.

As such, the Sarawak deputy chief minister said the SDMC has directed all disaster management committees at division and district levels in the state to activate their hot spot monitoring through collaboration with related agencies, and to act fast if a fire breaks out.

"Based on information received from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) on Aug 8, there was an increase in the number of notable hot spots in south and west Kalimantan and on the same day, 37 hot spots in Sarawak were detected," he added.

- Bernama