KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 15 — Cloud seeding operations to induce rainfall may start today, the Meteorological Department said as haze continues to blanket Malaysian skies.
Maznorizan Mohamad, the department’s atmospheric science and cloud seeding division director, said cloud seeding in the Klang Valley and Sarawak’s capital city Kuching may start at noon if cloud conditions are favourable.
“It will depend on the availability of clouds. If it is favourable, we can start,” she was quoted as saying by local daily The Star today.
Maznorizan said both the Kuching and Subang airports will each have one aircraft stationed there for the operation, which will cost between RM30,000 and RM40,000 per flight.
Late last night, the Education Ministry ordered the temporary closure of all schools in the three states of Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca and the federal territories of Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya.
The haze worsened yesterday, with the Department of Environment registering Air Pollutant Index (API) readings exceeding the 100 mark in several states across the country.
According to statistics by the Department of Environment, 34 areas were recording unhealthy readings on the Air Pollutant Index (API). Some of the highest readings were recorded in Perak’s capital Ipoh — SK Jalan Pegoh (189) and Jalan Tasek (183), Pahang’s Balok Baru in Kuantan (180).
In Sarawak, five areas recorded an unhealthy API, namely Sri Aman (151), Sarikei (136), Sibu (117), Samarahan (115) and Kuching (109).
All five areas in Selangor have unhealthy API, namely Banting (177), Pelabuhan Klang (168), Shah Alam (155), Petaling Jaya (151) and Kuala Selangor (113).
The federal capital is also shrouded in haze, with Batu Muda recording an API of 183 and Cheras, at 153, while the administrative capital of Putrajaya recorded an API of 169.
In Negri Sembilan, Nilai recorded an API reading of 179, Seremban (171) and Port Dickson (160), while in Malacca it was 165 at Bukit Rambai and Bandaraya Malacca (153).
Under the API system, 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is moderate, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, while 201 to 300 is very unhealthy and those above 301 is hazardous.
