Nine areas in Sarawak registered unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 9 a.m. on August 15, 2026, with Sibu newly added to the unhealthy category by that time [1, 2, 3, 4]. Kuching recorded the highest API reading, with reports showing values of 167 by several sources, 163 by others, and 166 by another, reflecting slight discrepancies in measurement [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7].
Other Sarawak locations with unhealthy API readings at 9 a.m. included Samarahan (around 163-164), Serian (162-163), Sarikei (155-157), Bintulu (156), Sri Aman (152-154), Mukah (ranging from 137 to 152 depending on source), Sibu (between 131 and 152), and Samalaju (125-126) [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7].
By 4 p.m., the same nine areas in Sarawak continued to report unhealthy API levels, with Sarawak remaining the only Malaysian state affected by unhealthy air quality at that time [5, 6]. Nationwide, 46 to 47 locations recorded moderate air quality, while 12 to 13 areas maintained good air quality on August 15, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7].
The API classification defines 0-50 as good, 51-100 moderate, 101-200 unhealthy, 201-300 very unhealthy, and above 300 hazardous air quality [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7]. Hourly data comes from 68 air quality monitoring stations nationwide, providing comprehensive coverage across Malaysia [1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 4, 7].
