Malaysia declares emergency in Sarawak's Serian as Indonesian haze worsens

Malaysia has declared a state of emergency in Sarawak's Serian district after haze from Indonesian wildfires pushed air pollution to hazardous levels, prompting school and office closures. The order, approved by King Sultan Ibrahim, takes effect following a request from the Sarawak Disaster Management Committee. Under the emergency, 647 schools in Serian will close from Monday through at least next week, alongside government offices, plantations, and construction sites, with only essential services continuing. A cloud-seeding operation launched Thursday will be extended to Monday, and officials urged residents to minimize outdoor activities. The haze has also affected Sabah, Peninsular Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, and the Philippines, where classes were suspended in Metro Manila. The fires, concentrated in Indonesia's Kalimantan and Sumatra regions, are expected to intensify as temperatures peak this month.