KUCHING - Sarawak’s five-day haze closure of 710 schools took effect Monday as authorities continued reviewing the emergency in Serian.

The closures run from Sept. 7 to 11 and cover 617 primary schools and 93 secondary schools under 14 district education offices, affecting 238,303 pupils and students. Lessons will continue through home-based teaching and learning, or PdPR.

The statewide total rose from 647 after the Sarawak Education Department added 63 schools in Bintulu and Tatau/Sebauh. Bernama reported the department’s updated closure figures.

Air quality had improved from last week’s hazardous peaks but remained poor across much of Sarawak on Monday morning.

At 8 a.m., Natural Resources and Environment Board readings reported by The Borneo Post put Samarahan at 226, Lundu at 224 and Kanowit at 219, all in the very unhealthy category. Serian recorded 193 and Kuching 192, both unhealthy.

The haze emergency declared across the Serian Division on Sept. 4 remained in force while the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee assessed whether to recommend a change in its status. The emergency was declared after pollution in Serian exceeded the government’s emergency threshold of 500.

Despite the declaration, government and private offices and other workplaces in the affected area — including industries, plantations, construction sites and quarries — may continue operating, according to Sarawak government guidance, but employers must take precautions to protect workers’ health.

Malaysia’s Health Ministry haze guidance for workplaces calls for outdoor workers to use N95 respirators when API readings are between 101 and 200 and for strenuous outdoor work to be minimised. At readings from 201 to 300, strenuous outdoor tasks should be avoided and earthworks temporarily stopped.

Cloud-seeding operations were extended through Sept. 7, with attention on the Batang Ai, Bakun and Murum catchment areas where suitable clouds and weather permit.

MetMalaysia Sarawak director Khairul Najib Ibrahim said earlier operations had produced rain but not at the volume hoped for. The latest operational update said authorities would continue monitoring conditions before recommending any change to Serian’s emergency status.

“Air quality, weather conditions, hotspots and the haze movement are being closely monitored so that appropriate actions can be taken as the situation develops,” SDMC chairman Douglas Uggah Embas said.