Kuching: Four areas in Sarawak recorded very unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 3 pm today, with Kuching reaching the highest level at 261. Department of Environment (DOE) Deputy Director-General (Development) Azuri Azizah Saedon highlighted that the other three areas with significant readings were Serian at 254, Sri Aman at 234, and Samarahan at 231.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, 23 additional areas reported unhealthy API readings, including locations in Perak such as Tasek Ipoh with an index of 159, Pegoh Ipoh at 151, Seri Manjung at 156, and Tanjung Malim also at 156. The capital city, Kuala Lumpur, saw unhealthy readings at Batu Muda with 163 and Cheras at 159, while Putrajaya reported a reading of 156.

In Selangor, unhealthy air was noted with API readings in Kuala Selangor at 124, Petaling Jaya at 154, Shah Alam at 163, Klang at 155, Banting at 159, and Johan Setia at 165. Meanwhile, Negeri Sembilan's Nilai and Seremban recorded indices of 159 and 153, respectively, while Melaka's Alor Gajah and Bukit Rambai reported readings of 146 and 107.

In Sarawak, additional unhealthy readings were recorded at ILP Miri with 173, Miri at 164, Samalaju at 179, Bintulu at 168, and Mukah and Sarikei both at 185. Azuri also mentioned that the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) detected 109 hotspots in Kalimantan, 119 in Sumatra, and five in Malaysia, including four in Pahang and one in Terengganu.

ASMC reported observing moderate to dense transboundary smoke plumes over northwestern Borneo, with similar conditions originating from hotspot clusters in Kalimantan, eastern Java, and central and southern Sumatra. Moderate haze was also observed over parts of the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.