Malaysia Haze Jumps to 38 Unhealthy Areas Nationwide, Engulfing Every Peninsular Region

Malaysia's haze crisis deteriorated sharply on Sept. 15, with the nationwide unhealthy-API count rising from 37 areas at 8am to 38 by 9am — a more than sevenfold jump from the 5 areas recorded the previous Sunday (Sept. 13) — before climbing further to 39 by 4pm. Bernama's 9am breakdown showed the haze had spread across virtually the entire peninsula: Sarawak (Serian 188, Samarahan 163, Kuching 154), Johor (7 areas — Pasir Gudang 171, Larkin 168, Tangkak 167, Kota Tinggi 165, Batu Pahat 161, Pengerang 161, Kluang 152), Selangor (6 areas — Johan Setia 182, Shah Alam 168, Petaling Jaya 160, Klang 160, Banting 157, Kuala Selangor 156), and Pahang (5 areas — Balok Baru/Kuantan 162, Indera Mahkota/Kuantan 161, Temerloh 156, Jerantut 155, Rompin 152), with further unhealthy readings in Negeri Sembilan, Terengganu, Perak, Melaka, Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Kedah. FMT separately flagged Cheras (KL) and Putrajaya (166) among the worst-hit Klang Valley points. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre attributed the deterioration to moderate-to-dense transboundary smoke covering southern/central Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sarawak, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and southern Vietnam, warning the haze situation was 'expected to remain escalated' with more than 7,000 Indonesian fire hotspots detected so far in September.