Shalihin (centre) fields questions from reporters. He is flanked by Loh (left) and Ismail.
KUCHING: The Meteorological Department, National Security Council (NSC) and Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) have embarked on a 10-day cloud seeding operations to bring relief amid the worsening haze condition throughout the state.
The operation, from yesterday till Sept 25, will cover areas in Kuching, Kota Samarahan, Sri Aman and Sarikei which recorded unhealthy air condition for the past weeks.
RMAF has prepared a C130 Hercules with 17 crew members for the cloud seeding operation in the state. The team will be led by Lt Col Suresh K Vijayaratnam. Also lending their support throughout the operation are the Public Works Department and Kuching Water Board.
“The hazy condition in the state, particularly in Kuching, Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei and Sibu divisions is caused by the burning of forests in Kalimantan, Indonesia. In this regards, the Department of Environment (DOE) has also activated its National Haze Action Plan to counter the threats of haze.
Preparation underway to get the C130 Hercules aircraft ready for the cloud seeding operation in the state.
The API in Kuching was at a unhealthy level of 122 at 5pm yesterday. — Photo by Jeffery Mostapa
“DOE has applied to the Meteorological Department to carry out cloud seeding operations to lessen the negative effect of the haze to the general public,” state NSC assistant secretary Shalihin Annuar told a press conference at the RMAF air base here yesterday.
Director of Meteorological Department Loh Eng Kee and state Civil Defense Administration chief Maj (PA) Ismail Mahedin were also present.
“The public has been advised not to carry out open burning. DOE and the Natural Resources and Environment Board (NREB) will enforce the law against those who conduct open burning. Furthermore, about 340 hotspots have been detected in Kalimantan,” Shalihin added.
He said the operation also functioned to improve water catchment areas in Serian Division, adding that the state Health Department had seen a 30 per cent rise in haze-related illnesses in Kuching and Sri Aman. The public is advised to take necessary health precautions such as wearing face masks when going outdoor, lessen outdoor activities and stay hydrated.
Apart from Kuching, the operation will also be held in the Klang Valley. Each cloud seeding flight would take around three to four hours and estimated to cost between RM30,000 and RM40,000. As of 4pm yesterday, the operation here had yet to commence due to the lack of cloud availability in the targeted areas.
Meanwhile, Loh said the weather condition would remain hazy for the remainder of this week. Despite the light rain in Miri and Bintulu yesterday morning, the state’s central and southern regions were expected to experience little rain.
As of 12 noon, API readings in Sri Aman, Sarikei, Kota Samarahan, Kuching and Sibu were at the unhealthy level with readings of 159, 138, 127 and both 115 respectively.
Kapit and Limbang reported moderate air quality with 67 API ratings while the air quality monitoring stations at Miri and the Institut Latihan Perindustrian (ILP) in Permyjaya were at 97 and 94 respectively.
Bintulu also recorded moderate air quality with an API reading of 96 but by 5pm, the air quality worsened to an unhealthy level of 102. The API reading in Sri Aman worsened from 159 to 165, Sarikei (138 to 142), Kota Samarahan (127 to 134) and Kuching from 115 to 122. Sibu meanwhile recorded a slight increase to 118.
The air quality in Miri, ILP Permyjaya and Limbang improved to 89, 87 and 64 respectively but Kapit marked an increase from 67 to 74. However, the air quality level at the four areas remained moderate.
The API rating is measured as Good for reading between 0-50, Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy (101-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300) and Hazardous for readings above 300.=