API readings in Shah Alam, Port Klang, Batu Muda surpass 200

KUALA LUMPUR: The air quality in Shah Alam, Port Klang and Batu Muda continued to deteriorate as at 8am this morning as the Air Pollutant Index (API) rose above the very unhealthy level with readings surpassing 200.
According to the Department of Environment's (DOE) portal, Shah Alam recorded the highest API reading of 243, followed by Port Klang (229) and Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur (224).
This morning, the Klang Valley was engulfed by haze, limiting visibility to just a few hundred metres, and causing respiratory related problems to city folks.
DOE said Cheras in Kuala Lumpur which recorded an API of 168 was among 16 areas which recorded unhealthy air quality readings with levels in Petaling Jaya, Selangor reaching 199 and Putrajaya registering (187).
In Sarawak, three areas, namely Sri Aman (182), Kuching and Samarahan 140, recorded unhealthy API while Banting (178) and Kuala Selangor (164) in Selangor also recorded unhealthy levels.
In Negeri Sembilan a number of areas also recorded unhealthy air quality as the API in Seremban reached 152, followed by Nilai (140) and Port Dickson (133), while two places in Malacca, namely Bukit Rambai and Malacca City, recorded API readings of 110 and 103 respectively.
Other areas that registered unhealthy air quality are Tanjung Malim (131), Sri Manjung (116) in Perak and Jerantut, Pahang (115).
In Sabah, four areas recorded moderate API although the air quality continued to deteriorate.
Tawau which recorded an API reading of 50 yesterday, registered 96 at 9am this morning while Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan registered 67 and 65 respectively while Keningau was at 62, up from 48 yesterday.
An API reading of 0 to 50 indicates good air quality; 51 to 100, moderate; 101 to 200, unhealthy; 201 to 300, very unhealthy and 300 and above, hazardous.
The public can visit the website at http://apims.doe.gov.my to know the current API readings. – Bernama