# Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak town as haze reaches critical level

> **Open Intelligence Dossier** · First detected: 2026-09-04 17:07 UTC · Category: World

## Executive Summary
Malaysia has declared a haze emergency in Sarawak as air pollution levels soar, triggering mass school closures and critical health warnings.

## Intelligence Brief
A haze emergency has been declared in the town of Serian, Sarawak, as air quality reaches critical levels. According to reports from Al Jazeera and The Star, the emergency is linked to worsening haze originating from Indonesia. In Serian, the Air Pollutant Index (API) was recorded at a hazardous 390 at 7 a.m. on September 5, though it showed slight improvement to very unhealthy levels by 4 p.m. that afternoon. The environmental crisis has extended to other regions, with the Malay Mail reporting that the API in Bintulu pushed past 200, forcing all schools in that area to transition to online learning until September 11. Coverage from the Borneo Post and NST Online emphasizes the severe disruption to education and public health. A total of 710 schools statewide have been closed, with 63 additional closures recently announced for Bintulu, Tatau, and Sebauh.


Health impacts are a primary focus for NST Online, which reports that haze-linked health problems are increasing, specifically noting that asthma cases have jumped eightfold. In response to the persisting conditions in Kuching, an individual named Chong has been distributing N95 masks to the public to mitigate respiratory risks. Context provided by Channel News Asia indicates that Sarawakians are facing the worst haze conditions since 2019, leaving many residents feeling worried and confused. The crisis is affecting multiple sectors beyond health and education. The Borneo Post reports that Abdul Karim has noted a slight drop in tourist arrivals in Sarawak, while farmers in Serian are struggling with a combined haze and dry spell. Additionally, The Star reports that water levels at the Batang Ai Dam have dropped to Emergency Level 3, highlighting a broader environmental strain on the region's water resources.


Looking forward, the Malaysian government is implementing active interventions to clear the air. Deputy Prime Minister Zahid has stated that cloud seeding operations in Sarawak will continue, with specific targets including the Batang Ai Dam. In Serian, the Department of Environment is ramping up monitoring and enforcement efforts. While some residents in Serian continue to work under strict precautionary rules, local representatives like the Bukit Semuja representative are urging for further cloud seeding to assist farmers and stabilize the hazardous air quality.

## Multi-Source Evidence Table
| Source Outlet | Headline | Verification URL |
|---|---|---|
| theborneopost.com | Cloud seeding in Sarawak to continue, says DPM Zahid | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMimAFBVV95cUxPVEpoUzVqeTd2czB5ZjZYeHdTWEFvT05ORThPeTJMR25DRXJQVjQ2NWMxOHRPc09hTGRJLWJEbjFLRkU5TEVUN1ZMRDlFRVdLaE03VldJemlURXZZbnVhUDZEcWdwZnpsQ2hUYXB4VGVFTGUtbWFVZi1tVlQyOEhtMVotX1E4Q0t3WE10azZBd3FtbVBnYmVmVA?oc=5) |
| Phys.org | Haze emergency grips Malaysian Borneo town | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMie0FVX3lxTFBoZTBEclFVRmZKb1o1bHNMT0JIckJFZ0p1ZmV2Wk53aFUwZFdOUXFySmxFM0M4TDF3QUhmNmVXWmJLVmU4WXp2dDRnTWVRWXFjNEgwVWUyOWZqWjg0cUZDMkZSSmFkZWRXeWpsTWY2REZOa0JOU1N5NmFobw?oc=5) |
| thestar.com.my | Cloud Seeding targets Batang Ai Dam as water drop hits Emergency Level 3 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMivwFBVV95cUxPZlhZeTZ3aFhDSHJaUW4tb29tY1VZLU94a3NFcHJrM2VPR0JqV2JseXFOSVFBTzMxZnpqSk0xVFdYUmdwZVh6UjMwZy1FNDQ4QUFBNWY1OFZrUlFZbnRUTDJ0MXQ2cjRlZHIyYmsxbmhzVTF3bzRBbm9SZ2hnTWZnMWM3TFl0b3NKTGZjUTVvTW5nN05kLXRWazI4SDkyUF84aXlJRS1GSlZZQ29FbENHdGlFT0NWZ3NyMWpSNzFvaw?oc=5) |
| Borneo Post | Haze: 63 more schools to close in Bintulu and Tatau/Sebauh, total hits 710 statewide | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxNZmJHQy1fdWtWLUxrQmxDWHhxVXRTUm8xSjVsTjZmSjYzVk55ZndHUnRQMWZhaTVOWTI4cUpOdjR0dGNjVkFLblZnbFVkTW9sa1dudDliTmozajBENE85VmlHajBNVXlTRDNadVd5QnprMl93T016SUdodVZlMlpRZW9EdTFIdFg5SkN2NjJ6NXR6bUI2cE9NOHc1bUZlRmtwREFrSjRoU0llQzc4Sk1rbnNnYml0QmlLV3ZxcEVUMmhyQQ?oc=5) |
| channelnewsasia.com | ‘Worried’ and ‘confused’: Sarawakians grapple with worst haze since 2019 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisgFBVV95cUxNdlZDamE5QmhuZ29IMG1rWUtnc0hiNExHQXIxbFlNcmRvSWxocmYtR1BNSUNfaHBUakY1NDJrNl9wdGIyUEhIWlVEYXh6NlNrN3VQMUdHZFI5WDBTTjdrcnA3aGNHdkFnbE9BbzlaUUh6YlBRTXJoWE4wa0JtOFViSy1iSjlUeWUtNkNBYm5uMGlSeVBWOHZwVmhEc3R1aWZiTTdab3pUQ3k1aTk0ZFVWaUx3?oc=5) |
| Goshen News | AP Trending SummaryBrief at 2:15 p.m. EDT | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0gFBVV95cUxOSVRaLW5WbGlhckNxZDFIWDFFOGo0bFdLRk5HTHFFaTdTU3p0eWZWR1k1Q2lTOWw4dTN4cG1YNGlQS0JWenFyZmJkQzJfMEtrSG9BdE9SMnZtdmp4WVpPbUdodXhnS0d2Z2dURUYxZGttRDJsc2NIandjLTNicjZGWGJPVjZaU3NtOVhjRGJHUnRfRUxjNGZ2YV9LR2VnTXFEZDMtblhJUzFwcWw5bmZmU0xSUVQyaEdfUloycHhDdjNKWHdNUmlLYUNyNS1GTC1BN3c?oc=5) |
| The Star | Haze: All schools in Bintulu closed until Sept 11 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinwFBVV95cUxQUHgwdHlEZzByLVIxUDJjLVpMdGViZW5vaExBVk9kYVlWMlRRVTJuWXRVVlJ4QTV4Z0t6UlhfdXZkZUsyZWNqR1FhTGpBemE0VXNkZGh1Q0NEakNiaV9jOFMwZHhVXzE3enhwdUllTkRucXQ1RnBlRU10TXZ5QnVrODJIQndOQlBlS0Y0WW5jdmZJZm5qZFREVjc5WXRxbTQ?oc=5) |
| Malay Mail | Bintulu schools go online till Sept 11 as haze pushes API past 200 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwgFBVV95cUxNS18yMlJwUE1hMGdVM2VXcmhNNGlJOWdmTDJmTTZmTnZ5X0x6cU84NEtaTzNDM01SN1U2VHNrU2Y0VTZINlNHN0Fna3JCQUV0ZnBMV3NVOXQ3ZDNNX0NiYlJxVDIwQnBRUFRiLUMtTEFRWWJDaHYwYmlWbXRLTjZNc3JqMFdOTkNiTGgzNTlIUVJIajRKYUhyR09KVWhmQy1TVVgyc0hjRFhITm9qcmxCY1BaWHFzVEpkSHhjZG9Za3ktUdIBxwFBVV95cUxOVzBYaGd1ZGgxZUFwZ3Z6NkJWeGZLZk9UMHNmWDVNTm41YTBQUXJTZE11RElCWnp5M29jcFRVejhfMVZnQ09lajlReEZKZXpnTUZmMG8yYlFHUHBPeEY5X0MyRVJaOW5vbGlVcXVDcElUcGV4RUdNVGlSVUNuWXZxOHQ2YUwyZ0RqTDU2R1pKeVZ) |
| The Star | Serian folk brave severe haze to make a living | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMinAFBVV95cUxPTWhXUHA0QkxFNzNJNkdpSGEwWldHTXpaMzdBNXpKWmlBc1pTNjhiZG43SnZrOWhIUDRBTjNTSllOVFhsSGJrLVpsQjc0RGZPZGFTa2VtRHc3QjFxNU1ubnh1azZNcGNsbklBMTNUZGtrQUNVU1RtTjFkTmpWQ290R2NNOUNxVkNORDJHcU9NdUVlUmlfb1MwWEFBMEo?oc=5) |
| NST Online | Haze shuts 63 schools in Bintulu, Tatau and Sebauh | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisAFBVV95cUxPa08tZ1RRcHB1b01ORzItZXN3V3Z2REJDM3J4N0lYdDBSa1NhN2VTQ1c1SjBlN2dCODhTVHFKLWJlRDlCX0Q4eVpsU0phWlBpMFczdGxraFU2THQyTjF4MHJTd0QzazNYUFNjeW1HRjhpeGFJYi1FbHJFblhiUG5LUzVQb04wMzMwdHFXUGo2OW9TNEc0Qi1aVW9QeHI5N3pRcmplSDlHWElZUGpBSUhZMw?oc=5) |
| Free Malaysia Today | Schools in two Bintulu districts closed due to haze | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisgFBVV95cUxOY05kMlM4WGhkVUtVMnZ5WVBTNlYzUE9FY3pqb3JaUkJ0ZExUQS1lZGkyX3R2MW1uRTJ3LWNaNmRMZEtDWEtsS0xLVW44MW9CcHBJTTQtWG0yb1lSUGU0ZnFRNURzY3pvOVphWUpUdklBYUlVV0V3SHFpQUpORHdYUjVfX3JQSlU0UjdCSVRZR0JJUGVyRllweDlJZkotRlpXLUJLLXFNTUl6MG11ckZ6bC1n?oc=5) |
| Borneo Post | Bukit Semuja rep urges more cloud seeding as haze, dry spell affect farmers in Serian | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMixAFBVV95cUxPQ3ZkZHVlYkdnX3FDUUFXdEU2bF93dUVNaWh1OVZuM2I4VE84bkFfMUlNMi0xZHR2UGxaRkxud3hXdnJLYXVfNm1leEhmVmZMRUJrU09PWDZPQ0hNMWJ1M19TQVdRbnlINnF2UzFEbm9OQnEwZnNvUS1BQ1ZjSzZKMlZqbEh6QnVVSWxlNExmU3plSGtvRXNmd21qWndtUWRvdkJBd0xoQ1h1ZDljMmVwSzlaVElnal9xT1RwbW91Z01vVUsw?oc=5) |
| NST Online | Haze-linked health problems on the rise, asthma cases jump eightfold | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisAFBVV95cUxOVnNrRnpVb0J2ZEdaT1dEOGVDcWNHVFRCWUp5aExoSlRCdjdRN3ZTMlZIQ2xPX1NhRDFJM2d3MXVZby1NdUVqZVNXb3dQNWdPUTFZNjRXam9LZ0JaV1V5elp4b2JIeTJFc1hJVGxBMWx6Wl83YUpWaGFpY0tJVEFBTC1wR25RMU5qaTFndzROZ1laMUt0MHVpSkViT21rblNXVFFZVDJHdENkR3BsTWZQVA?oc=5) |
| NST Online | Haze-linked health problems on the rise, asthma cases jump eightfold | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiwwFBVV95cUxPNUxIN2Nod2FSU0ZvN0VYdEdvQ2FfLW9TdWtLZmhreUs3MWxkbXUtYUNQdVp6T3ZxWjlXQTExN1h6dUZnZW5YYVpSU1NzckZ1RHF5OUJGWC1pZGpSbGE5d2N3dG1WN1hBQnJTOW5lV3FCT1Zpa1NnVHlJY3lYN1FvWVNFeHJJUkFiWkZPYVhZdFIzd3U2eGk5RnJUcnhaZjUwbWhteXFBdVlvR2xQcWhMa0JxZENmZzdtN1RpN1pZQzF2aVk?oc=5) |
| The Star | Haze: Air quality in Serian improves slightly to very unhealthy levels at 4pm on Sept 5 | [Source Link](https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMi0gFBVV95cUxPMHFSVWxhRjQ1b2lWNVd6bUw2VTdtckJ6Vkx3TjJKeHNIVUJ5RS0zTmt0S2p3WjJYVEhOUFZJOXFBTEJkcUVDcE1JNUpINUJSTjI0UDM3UTVSSTBuTzd4Tnk5RF9BSkFiOFVBYnV1S1Y3UEM4OEV4dENBYkgxX0ctMjVUTEFpaDBtYW5DSkhwbVJJdllUUDZ4Z1Q3LXlKcjcyd3BGYVRlYmppUlhVSlVDM19BQWwtcl9mN1QtVnVDUjcxZ1Nvak9QZkVQdTZZX0hUb3c?oc=5) |

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*Canonical Source: https://pulse.byoviral.com/trend/2026-09-04/malaysia-declares-emergency-in-sarawak-town-as-haze-reaches-critical-level*