Kuala Lumpur - Up to two million people in Kuala Lumpur may have to be evacuated if air pollution in the Malaysian capital reaches emergency levels. The Information Minister, Mr Mohamad Rahmat, chairman of the national disaster management committee monitoring a severe haze blanketing Malaysia, said a state of emergency would only be declared if the pollution index hits 500.
The index eased to 139 yesterday after surging past the "hazardous" level of 300 the previous two days. But Kuala Lumpur's skyline remained enveloped by a film of grey. Forest fires in neighbouring Indonesia, combined with vehicle and industrial pollution in Malaysia, have been blamed for the haze.