Satellite detected that fire hot spot in Sumatra Island increase to more than 180, causing dense haze at the Southwest of Peninsular Malaysia, moderate haze at west coast of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Following is the Fire Hot Spot Map on 18 June 2013
Quantitative Count of Fire Hot Spot
星洲日報, 18 Jun 2013
（吉隆坡18日訊）全國各地的煙霾情況今天依然沒有多大改善，柔佛州3個地區――哥打丁宜、巴西古當及舊拉慶的空氣素質，繼續處於不健康水平。
根據環境局公佈的空氣污染指數（API）數據顯示，全國各地能見度最低的地區為巴西古當，該地上午7時和上午11時的指數分別為142點及153點。
舊拉慶的空氣污染指數也從原有的116點攀升至125點。
除了上述3個地區，甘馬挽的空氣素質也同樣處於不健康水平，即103點。
此外，昨日籠罩森甲兩州的煙霾情況已稍有好轉，馬六甲市區的空氣素質已從昨日的不健康水平，回跌至中等水平（68點），而森州三地的指數也有改善至接近健康水平。
至於東海岸州屬，如彭亨及登嘉樓的煙霾雖未完全消散，但也逐漸減少，其中巴洛（關丹）已從昨日的不健康水平，跌至今日的中等情況。
另一方面，東馬兩州的情況則大同小異，沒有地區有嚴重的空氣污染，而斗湖的空氣素質最佳，處於健康水平（35點）。
Source: 星洲日報
星洲日報, 18 Jun 2013
（吉隆坡18日訊）煙霾未散，天氣又炎熱，氣象局預測，國內各地高溫會持續到今年9月，不過所幸不至於到達“熱浪”來襲的情況。
氣象局官員表示，有數個因素造成目前的天氣悶熱，首先是西南季候風帶來炎熱乾燥的天氣，接著是菲律賓熱帶風暴及印度洋低氣壓溫度，使到氣溫進一步上升。
根據馬新社報導，雪州首邦市在本月7日的溫度高達攝氏36.2度，首都吉隆坡在本月4日也突破攝氏36度的高溫。
無論如何，該官員表示，大馬目前的高溫，還不能被稱為“熱浪”來襲。
根據記錄，大馬的最高溫記錄是在玻璃市的朱檳創下，在1998年5月18日，該地區一度熱到攝氏38.9度。
當一個人曝露在高溫下，可能會感到疲累和中暑。過去數十年來，全球有數以千計的人患上天氣炎熱相關疾病死亡，其中美國1980年的熱浪，就奪走1千250條人命。
所謂熱浪是一個地區的氣溫，比正常或原本季節的溫度來得高，一般的情況是某個地區連續幾天氣溫不斷創新高，而在短時間內，氣溫劇烈上升。
專家警告，嚴重的中暑（體溫過高）會導致死亡。
連續數日超過攝氏37度‧或出現熱浪
氣象局說，吹西南季風時，天空很少雲朵，導致各地方直接曝曬，導致原本約攝氏33度的均溫，上升至34度至35度。
如果大馬每日氣溫連續數日超過攝氏37度，就有可能出現所謂的熱浪現象。
此外，來自萬撓的醫生蘇海米也勸告民眾儘量減少戶外活動，多喝水。
“即使要外出，也要避免被陽光直接照射，不要做劇烈運動，確保每小時都有喝水不口渴。”
The Star, 18 Jun 2013
PETALING JAYA: Ministers from several Asean countries will meet here to discuss ways to tackle the return of the haze to the region and the likelihood of it worsening due to the hot and dry weather.
Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said he would chair a meeting on Aug 20 with his counterparts from Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and Thailand.
“We will also study several proposals on early fire detection mechanisms through satellite technology and a fire danger rating system,” he said yesterday.
He said the National Haze Action Plan would come into action where key departments and agencies would move to handle the fires depending on the different alert levels based on the Air Pollutant Index (API).
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Ewon Ebin said the ministry was mulling over cloud seeding if dry weather persisted.
Satellite images from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre revealed that hot spots in Sumatra had increased from 46 on Friday to 136 on Sunday, while 113 were recorded as of 8.30am yesterday.
The air quality in Malaysia, however, has improved slightly, with four places recording unhealthy levels yesterday compared with six on Sunday.
The API readings showed unhealthy levels for Balok Baru (110) in Pahang and Kemaman (121) in Terengganu with other parts of the country reading good to mode- rate levels.
Under the air quality index, readings of between 0 and 50 are classified as Good, 51 to 100 (Moderate) 101 to 200 (Unhealthy), 201 to 300 (Very Unhealthy) and 300 and above (Hazardous).
In Kuala Terengganu, the levels in Paka were 92 and Kuala Terengganu at 70.
In Nusajaya, Johor Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the state government would keep the people posted on the matter if the situation worsens.
In Penang, state Environment Department director Datuk Hassan Mat said the API levels on the is-land was 53 yesterday, while visibility in Bayan Lepas, Prai and Butterworth stood at between 9km and 10km.
The Star, 18 June 2013
KUALA LUMPUR: The air quality in four locations in the country remains at an unhealthy level based on the Air Pollutant Index.
According to the Department of Environment (DoE) website, Johor is the most affected – Pasir Gudang (142), Larkin Lama (116) and Kota Tinggi (107).
This is followed by Terengganu’s Kemaman (103) where the reading has remained within the unhealthy level since Sunday.
The air quality in rest of the country remains hovering between good and moderate.
Air quality in Malaysia is reported as the API or Air Pollutant Index.
Four of the index’s pollutant components (i.e., carbon monoxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide) are reported in ppmv but PM10 particulate matter is reported in μg/m3.
This scale below shows the Health classifications used by the Malaysian government.
The API rating is measured as follows: Good (0-50), Moderate (51-100), Unhealthy (101-200), Very Unhealthy (201-300) and Hazardous (Above 300).
As at 8.13am on Tuesday, satellite images from the Asean Specialised Metereological Centre revealed that there were 113 hot spots in Sumatra, the cause of the haze.
It was reported that Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri G. Palanivel said he would chair a meeting on Aug 20 with his counterparts from Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, and Thailand to discuss the matter.
The Star, 18 June 2013
SINGAPORE (Reuters) – Singapore’s worst air pollution in 16 years sparked diplomatic tension on Tuesday, as the city-state urged Indonesia to provide data on company names and concession maps to enable it to act against plantation firms that allow slash-and-burn farming.
Singapore’s environment minister made the request to his Indonesian counterpart by telephone as air pollution on the island hit unhealthy levels for a second straight day, with some of the worst readings since a 1997 regional haze crisis.
“We need to exert commercial pressure against companies causing the haze,” Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said on his Facebook page, without saying what measures Singapore might take.
“We are also waiting for Indonesia to publish the concession maps. The combination of satellite photos, which are updated daily, and these concession maps would enable us to pinpoint the errant companies,” he added.
Indonesia’s environment minister could not be reached for comment, but senior official Sony Partono told Reuters, “Foreign parties should not be interfering with our domestic affairs.”
He added, “The most important thing is that we have attempted to control the damage resulting from the forest fires,” and said fire trucks had been dispatched to affected areas.
Plantation companies with land concessions in Indonesia include Wilmar International Ltd, Golden Agri-Resources Ltd and First Resources Ltd.
Singapore’s pollutant standards index (PSI) rose to an unhealthy 155 on Monday night, prompting the U.S. embassy to advise Americans planning a visit to consult their doctors about the effects of air pollution.
Visibility improved slightly on Tuesday and the PSI score slipped back to a “moderate” level of 85 after peaking at 123 in the morning.
A map on the site of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Specialized Meteorological Centre showed dozens of satellite-detected fires on Sumatra island on Tuesday with winds blowing east towards Singapore.
The haze has also enveloped some parts of neighbouring Malaysia, with four regions suffering “unhealthy” PSI levels above 100 for a second day.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak took to his Twitter page on Tuesday to advise people to reduce outdoor activities and drink plenty of water, warning that the haze was expected to worsen.
HAZY PROGRESS
Images of smog-shrouded Southeast Asian cities this week have highlighted the limited progress the region has made in fighting the problem since 1997, when the haze caused an estimated $9 billion in economic, social and environmental losses.
The illegal burning of forests to clear land for palm oil plantations is a recurrent problem in Indonesia, particularly during the annual dry season from June to September. Yet Indonesia is the only ASEAN member not to have ratified a 2002 pact on preventing haze pollution.
“Without the (Indonesian) republic, especially since the hotspots are found mainly there, little can be done,” Malaysia’s New Straits Times said in an editorial on Tuesday.
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has vastly expanded its palm oil plantations in the past decade, overtaking Malaysia to become the world’s biggest supplier. In doing so it has cleared huge swathes of forest and peatland areas.
Corruption and Indonesia’s decentralised political system have hindered efforts to stem the haze problem, said Jackson Ewing, a researcher at the Centre for Non-Traditional Security at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.
“Burning is quick, efficient and requires very little labour to clear land,” he said.
“Government actors at the local level are colluding with private interests and central government authorities have difficulty influencing what is happening on the ground.”
(Additional reporting by Dhea Renaldi in Jakarta and Stuart Grudgings in Kuala Lumpur; Writing by Stuart Grudgings; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)
Copyright © 2013 Reuters
A moderate earthquake has occurred with these revised parameters:
Time of Occurrence : 03:18am on 18 June 2013
Coordinates : 8.1 South 115.9 East
Location : Bali Region, Indonesia.60km northwest of Mataram,Indonesia.1109km southeast of Lubok Antu,Sarawak.
Magnitude : 5.1 on Richter scale
Assessment: No tsunami threat
The moderate haze still remain at the center of Malacca Straits.
Following is the ASEAN hot spot map on 17 June 2013
The Star, 17 Jun 2013
KUALA LUMPUR: The air quality nationwide improved slightly Monday, with only four places recording unhealthy levels, based on the Air Pollutant Index (API) as compared to six on Sunday.
According to the Department of Environment website, as of 11am, the four places were Malacca (102), Balok Baru (114) and Indera Mahkota (107) in Kuantan, and Kemaman (121) in Terengganu.
Most of the other places in the country continued to record between good and moderate levels.
Under the air quality index, readings of between 0 to 50 are classified as good, 51 to 100 as moderate, 101 to 200 as unhealthy, 201 to 300 as very unhealthy and 300 and above as hazardous.
It was reported Sunday the haze was set to worsen with hotter and drier weather expected over the next few months. – Bernama
The Star, 17 Jun 2013
MALACCA: Many locals and tourists were seen wearing face masks as the historic city was shrouded in haze.
Low visibility also slowed down traffic to the major tourist areas in the city.
However, activities that were planned earlier, such as the dragon boat race, held in conjunction with the annual Malacca River Festival, went on as scheduled yesterday.
Malacca Health and Sports Development executive chairman Datuk Ab Rahaman Ab Karim said the state government would consider cancelling outdoor, sports and co-curriculum activities in schools if the situation worsened.
“Classes will continue as of now but we will stop all outdoor activities in schools if the need arises.
“In the meantime, we are monitoring the Air Pollution Index readings closely,” he said.
Ab Rahaman said the state Health Department would also consider distributing free face masks to all students and civil servants.
In Muar, the clear weather in the morning turned hazy suddenly by mid-afternoon.
Visibility dropped to less than half a nautical mile in most parts of the coastal areas.
The Muar river estuary, the Muar Bridge and most of the areas in town as well as Tanjung Agas were covered by thick haze by 4pm.
Muar marine police chief Asst Supt Nordin Osman said as visibility in the sea was poor, all vessels plying the Malacca Straits should take precautions and navigate with utmost care.
“Fishermen in small boats should refrain from going out to the sea for now and fishing trawlers must switch on their lights,” he added.