Sarawak, in Kalimantan, has been heavily affected by fires on the Indonesian side of the island, with haze forcing school closures in some parts of the state. 

Malaysian authorities categorise Air Pollution Index (API) readings above 300 as hazardous, with a measuring of 500 serving as the threshold for declaring an emergency. The API measured 519 in Serian on Friday, government data showed.

on Thursday, Malaysia launched a three-day cloud-seeding operation in a bid to ease hazardous haze choking Sarawak state, as smoke from Indonesian forest fires pushed air quality to dangerous levels.

The operation, which also aims to bolster water reserves in anticipation of dry weather, targets three hydroelectric dams and 13 water catchment areas, Sarawak's Disaster Management Committee said.

Residents of the state have endured heavy haze for days as smoke from Indonesia's Kalimantan blankets the area, driving up respiratory complaints.

Rainfall resulting from cloud seeding "has the potential to reduce the concentration of airborne pollutants, thereby supporting efforts to address air quality deterioration and the impact of haze", the Disaster Management Committee said.

Committee chair Douglas Uggah Embas said the operation -- which involves the air force, the National Disaster Management Agency and the Malaysian Meteorological Department -- also aims to replenish water supplies ahead of expected hotter, drier weather.

"October might be hotter and drier. We want to increase the water levels as much as possible while we still can," Uggah told reporters at the air force's Kuching base, where a C-130 aircraft prepared for a seeding flight.

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