Archive · 4 Sep 2026
Malaysia Declares Emergency in Sarawak District Over Hazardous Haze
Malaysia declared an emergency in the Serian district because the air became dangerously polluted.
The pollution was caused by thick haze from forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia.
The Air Pollution Index in Serian reached 519 on Friday.
Readings above 300 are considered hazardous in Malaysia.
A reading of 500 is the level used for declaring an emergency.
The emergency applies only to Serian and nearby areas within about 20 kilometres.
Important services such as supermarkets, petrol stations and banks are expected to keep operating.
Officials also carried out cloud-seeding operations.
Schools had already been closed in some parts of Sarawak because of the haze.
Malaysia declared an emergency in Serian district, Sarawak, after haze pushed air pollution to hazardous levels.
The Air Pollution Index reached 519 in Serian on Friday, exceeding the 500 emergency threshold.
The haze was linked to forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia on Borneo.
The emergency covers Serian and an area within roughly a 20-kilometre radius.
Supermarkets, petrol stations and banks were expected to remain open, while cloud-seeding operations were conducted.
- Who
- Malaysia’s King Sultan Ibrahim declared the emergency after advice from Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Sarawak premier Abang Johari Openg.
- What
- An emergency was declared in Serian district because hazardous haze pushed the Air Pollution Index to 519.
- When
- Friday, September 4.
- Where
- Serian district in Sarawak, Malaysia, on the island of Borneo.
- Why
- Forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia caused thick haze and dangerous air pollution.
- Air Pollution Index
- The reading in Serian reached 519.
- Hazardous level
- Malaysia categorises readings above 300 as hazardous.
- Emergency threshold
- An API reading of 500 is the threshold for declaring an emergency.
- Coverage
- The emergency is confined to Serian and an area of about a 20-kilometre radius.
- Essential services
- Supermarkets, petrol stations and banks are expected to continue operating.
- Response
- Cloud-seeding operations were being carried out.