KUALA LUMPUR: The visibility in the West coast and Southern parts of Peninsular Malaysia remains low due to poor air quality, according to Nik Nazmi Nik Ahmad, the Natural Resources, Environment, and Climate Change Minister. He stated that even though most of the nation is currently experiencing wet weather, changes in wind patterns during the monsoon transition period could lead to transboundary haze. Nik Ahmad further explained that if the winds blow from the Southwest and Southeast, the haze caused by fires in the neighboring country has the potential to cross over to Malaysia.
Nik Ahmad mentioned that several meteorological stations have recorded low visibility distances over the last few days, especially in the West and South of Peninsular Malaysia as well as in Western Sarawak. The average visibility in these areas ranges from 3km to 10km, while in other regions, it exceeds 10km. These statements were made by the minister during a discussion on the current haze situation affecting the country.
However, Nik Ahmad clarified that cloud seeding would only be considered if the haze situation persisted and the air quality deteriorated to a reading of 151 to 200 on the Air Pollutant Index (API). Currently, he predicts that certain parts of Malaysia may experience higher temperatures of about 0.5°C to 1.0°C above average if there is no rain for more than seven consecutive days, resulting in maximum average temperatures ranging from 31°C to 33°C.
Additionally, based on data from the Health Ministry, Nik Ahmad mentioned an increase in asthma cases by 2.5 times from Oct 1 to 7 in seven out of 15 health facilities located in areas affected by the haze. During the same period, he reported a two-fold increase in upper respiratory tract infections in eight out of 11 health facilities, as well as an increase in cases of conjunctivitis in five out of 11 health facilities.
Credit: The Star : News Feed
