KUCHING: Sarawak is ready to conduct cloud seeding to combat the worsening haze in the state which affected several districts badly.
Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, however, said the operation would be based on the report on cloud conditions by the Malaysian Meteorological Department.
Uggah, who is also the State Disaster Management Committee (JPBN) chairman, said a meeting with all relevant parties and authorities would be called soon to discuss on the cloud seeding operation.
"The meeting will decide whether the cloud conditions in the affected areas are suitable for the operation.
“We are getting information from the Malaysian Meteorological Department about the position of the cloud, especially in Sri Aman, which breached Air Pollutant Index reading above 400 yesterday, the worst in the state," he said after the Unit For Other Religions (UNIFOR) function at Wisma Baba Malaysia, here, today.
As of 11 this morning, the API in Sri Aman was recorded at a very unhealthy level of 232 reading compared to yesterday's highest reading of 407.
The other nine stations registered an unhealthy level include Kuching (182), Samarahan (170), Sarikei (159), Sibu (166), Mukah (141), Bintulu (125), Samalaju (106), Miri ( 132) and ILP Miri (122).
Commenting further, Uggah said the authorities will continue to monitor the air quality in Sri Aman although the air quality was no longer hazardous today.
Despite the severe haze that hit Sri Aman due to cross-border haze, there were hot spots in the area which contributed to the poor air quality in the district.
"The state government is still monitoring the situation there (Sri Aman) and if necessary, we will seek the help of assets from other authorities to put out the forest fires," he said.