Penang airport cancels four more flights

Penang airport cancels four more flights



Motorists on the Penang bridge were seen wearing face masks due to the worsening haze encompassing the state today.

A total of four flights have been cancelled at the Penang International Airport (PIA) today due to the haze.

In a list provided by PIA senior manager Arif Jaafar, China Southern Airline Flights from Guangzhou, China, to Penang, Malaysia and vice versa was cancelled as at 3pm.

The other two flights affected was the 4.05pm Langkawi to Penang flight and the 4.35pm flight from Penang to Langkawi.

No flights were delayed nor diverted according to the list to the media.

Arif said runway visual range (RVR) at that time was 1.2km while visibility was only 800m as the state continued to be blanketed by fine particles caused by fires in Indonesia.

Air quality in two areas in Penang meanwhile recorded very unhealthy levels as at 4pm with Seberang Jaya 2 measuring 245 on the Air Pollutant Index (API).

The other area to record such a level was USM with an API of 210 while Prai recorded an API of 187 which is within the unhealthy range.

Visibility continue to suffer with all areas under monitoring experiencing horizontal visibility of less than a kilometre as at 4pm.

Visibility at Bayan Lepas was only at 600m at that time with Butterworth sharing the same but Perai was marginally better with visibility measuring at 800m.

~News courtesy of The Sun~

Air quality unhealthy in some areas in Penang

Air quality unhealthy in some areas in Penang

Air quality in two areas in Penang reached the unhealthy mark today as haze continued to cocoon the state.

As at 2pm, the Air Pollutant Index (API) readings for Seberang Jaya 2 and USM were 108 and 102 respectively.

Only Perai recorded a moderate air quality level of 91.

Air quality is rated as very unhealthy for API readings over 201 while readings of over 300 are hazardous.

Visibility was also affected by the haze as all three monitoring stations in Bayan Lepas, Butterworth and Perai recorded visibility of only 1km as at 3pm.

Operations at the Penang International Airport nonetheless continued as usual as confirmed by senior manager Arif Jaafar.

"Flight operations are normal," he told the media in a brief text statement.

When contacted, Penang Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh urged the public to cut back on outdoor activities

"Drink more water and stay indoors," he told theSun.

~News courtesy of The Sun~

Haze will not last till March 2016

Haze will not last till March 2016

The haze affecting the country currently will not last till March 2016, as claimed by certain parties.

"The current haze situation is caused by typhoon Champi and Typhoon Koppu, east of the Philippines, and when these typhoons hit landfall, the winds will change and the haze situation will improve after Oct 26," said Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau in a statement today.

Madius said the coming northeast monsoon season from November will see a change in wind direction and will no longer carry over haze from Indonesia to Malaysia, despite the Indonesian forest fires expected to last until March.

Meanwhile, rainfall is expected to decrease nationwide due to typhoon Koppu, thus making the haze situation even worse.

According to the Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia) weather outlook, typhoon Koppu is currently 1,187km north-east of Kudat, Sabah. It will eventually head north-west towards Taiwan.

In addition, typhoon Champi located 2,942km north-east of Kudat is slowly heading north.

The presence of both typhoons has affected the wind patterns across the country as a result, especially rainfall due to the moderate south-westerly winds.

Separately, the Department of Environment recorded 3,534 cases of open burning detected nationwide, from the start of the year to Oct 19.

As of 6pm today, a total of 27 areas recorded unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings, with Port Klang with the highest at 179, followed by Shah Alam at 164, and Kuala Selangor at 139.

~News courtesy of The Sun~

Little India shrouded by haze

Little India shrouded by haze



Little India, one of the popular tourist attraction area located in the World Unesco Heritage Zone, is seen deserted thick smog blanketed Penang since this morning.

The normally congested Little India was deserted today as thick smog blanketed the Penang skyline since morning.

A check by the Sun at the popular heritage zone saw fewer people thronging the place unlike other weekends.

As the air quality deteriorated, most people preferred to stay indoors due to health concerns.

A check on the Department of Environment (DOE) website showed that all three monitoring stations in the state recorded an unhealthy reading since 11am.

As of 2pm, the Universiti Sains Malaysia monitoring station recorded 171 while at Seberang Jaya and Prai station recorded 177 and 149 respectively.

An API of 0 to 50 is good, 51 to 100 is moderate while anything over 300 is hazardous.

~News courtesy of The Sun~