Heavy rain chases the haze away
Heavy rain chases the haze away
20 September 2005
published by www.mmail.com.my
KUALA LUMPUR — Heavy rain may have contributed to the low Air Pollutant Index (API) reading in the West Coast yesterday, says the Department of Environment (DOE).
A spokesman said at 11am yesterday, the API for 30 areas were classified as good.
They were Langkawi, Alor Star and Bakar Arang (Kedah), USM, Prai and Seberang Jaya (Penang), Ipoh, Taiping and Tanjung Malim (Perak), Gombak (Selangor), Putrajaya and Labuan (Federal Territories), Nilai (Negri Sembilan), Malacca City (Malacca), Larkin and Muar (Johor), Pengkalan Chepa and Kota Baru (Kelantan), and Kemaman and Paka (Terengganu).
Moderate levels were recorded in Kangar (Perlis), Seri Manjung (Perak), Port Klang, Petaling Jaya, Kajang, Shah Alam and Kuala Selangor (Selangor), Kuala Lumpur (Federal Territories), Seremban (Negri Sembilan), Bukit Rambai (Malacca), Pasir Gudang and Johor Baru (Johor), Kuala Terengganu (Terengganu), and Jerantut (Pahang).
Kuala Selangor had the highest API count at 74 followed by Bukit Rambai (64).
Port Klangs reading was 61, a far cry from the unhealthy 102 three days ago.
“We hope the coming monsoon season will keep the API reading low,” the spokesman said.
It was reported yesterday that forest and peat fires in Johor, Kelantan, Perak, Selangor, Pahang and Sarawak, caused by an on-going dry spell, have resulted in a haze over parts of peninsular Malaysia.
The Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre satellite detected 90 hot spots in Sumatra, and 102 in Kalimantan, Indonesia.
It detected seven hot spots in Johor, Kelantan, Perak, Selangor and Pahang, and nine in Sarawak.
