Sarawak schedules cloud seeding as haze worsens and water plants shut

Cloud seeding planned as haze reaches hazardous levels

Sarawak will carry out cloud seeding from September 3 to 5 as authorities respond to worsening haze and reservoir levels that have forced four water treatment plants to stop operating, state deputy premier Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas announced. The decision came after Air Pollutant Index (API) readings in parts of the state exceeded 300, the level classified as hazardous.

Uggah, who chairs the Sarawak State Disaster Management Committee, said the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) expected conditions to be suitable for the operation during the three-day window. Officials were scheduled to meet the following day to determine how the operation would be carried out, with Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) dams to be given priority because of their importance to the state's electricity supply.

"After that, we will move on to water reservoirs where levels have already fallen very low, followed by other areas in need," he was quoted as saying after a committee meeting in Kuching.

The operation will be conducted by the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) together with MetMalaysia and the Royal Malaysian Air Force, according to Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi. He told reporters in Shah Alam that MetMalaysia had been asked to advise on the affected areas, particularly those at hazardous levels, so that the operation could be directed toward the worst-hit locations based on wind conditions.

"We are carrying out this coordination urgently because we feel that Sarawak must be helped," Ahmad Zahid said. "The fires in Kalimantan have spread too widely and are affecting about three-quarters of Sarawak. We must help."

Ahmad Zahid said five locations had been identified so far, and this was expected to spread further. Among the locations identified were the Batang Ai, Bakun, Murum, Bengoh, Gerugu, Assyakirin, Sika and Matang dams.

Water supply disrupted

The Rural Water Supply Department reported that four water treatment plants had suspended operations because reservoir levels had fallen too low, Uggah said. The affected plants are in Simunjan in Samarahan Division, Lingga in Sri Aman, Spaoh in Betong and Lichok in Roban. He said the four areas would be prioritised for cloud seeding if weather conditions allowed.

Uggah cautioned, however, that cloud seeding could not be carried out on demand because the operation requires suitable cloud formations.

"If there are no clouds, the conditions are not suitable for cloud seeding. It is not that we do not want to do it, but if an aircraft is sent up without producing any results, it would only be a waste of money and the people would become even angrier," he said.

Sarawak carried out two cloud-seeding operations in May and June after SEB warned that water levels at its dams had reached worrying levels.

API readings and hotspots

API readings at 10am on the day of the announcement showed seven locations in Sarawak in the hazardous category, led by Serian at 475, according to Uggah, as reported by Malay Mail. Other high readings included Tebedu at 402, Lubok Antu at 375, Lundu at 363, Samarahan at 333, and Kuching and Sri Aman both at 331. Sarikei, Sibu and Mukah were in the very unhealthy range, while another eight locations were unhealthy.

Ahmad Zahid cited API readings of up to 500 in some areas. As of 9.15am, six areas in Malaysia recorded hazardous API readings, all in Sarawak, with two above 400: the Serian district police headquarters monitoring station at 408 and Kuching at 402. The other four were Samarahan (371), Sri Aman (364), Sarikei (337) and Sibu (315). Three other locations recorded very unhealthy readings: Bintulu (237), Mukah (237) and Samalaju (230). API readings are released hourly from 68 monitoring stations nationwide.

The haze has been attributed to smoke from fires in Kalimantan carried by prevailing winds. Sarawak recorded nine hotspots on August 29 and 30, while Kalimantan recorded 1,180 hotspots and Sumatra 18 on the same day, according to monitoring cited in the announcement. Between January and August 30, Sarawak recorded 302 hotspots, including 186 in August alone.