Rain fails to dissipate haze in Palangkaraya<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Despite heavy downpours of rain over the last few days, thick
\nhaze from out-of-control forest fires is still blanketing
\nPalangkaraya town and many parts of Central Kalimantan, forcing
\nairline companies to indefinitely suspend flights to and from the
\nprovincial capital.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, motorcyclists
\nhave started wearing masks due to the thick haze.<\/p>\n
The South Kalimantan Health Office has also distributed a
\ntotal of 10,000 masks to 10 regencies in the province and urged
\nlocal residents to wear them if they are heading outdoors.<\/p>\n
The haze, which has been plaguing Kalimantan for more than two
\nmonths now, has caused a health crisis in Central Kalimantan,
\nwith the number of people suffering from respiratory problems
\nrising rapidly.<\/p>\n
Data provided by the Doris Sylvanus Palangkaraya Public
\nHospital showed that the number of people suffering from
\nrespiratory problems had increased to 113 in August from 84 in
\nJuly.<\/p>\n
The hospital's director, Dr. Arnold Singarimbun, told Antara
\non Wednesday that three persons, including two children, had died
\nof pneumonia since July.<\/p>\n
The haze has also forced airline company PT Merpati Nusantara
\nto indefinitely suspend its flights to and from Palangkaraya
\nsince Aug. 26.<\/p>\n
Thick smog also covered Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan,
\nreducing visibility to less than 500 meters on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The poor visibility prompted airline companies to either delay
\nor cancel flights to and from Banjarmasin's Syamsuddin Noor
\nAirport.<\/p>\n
Mandala Airlines' Banjarmasin District Manager R. Wahyu
\nBudiadi told Antara that all flights to and from Syamsuddin Noor
\nAirport had proceeded as scheduled on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
On Tuesday, Mandala had to delay a flight from Surabaya, East
\nJava, to Banjarmasin due to poor visibility.<\/p>\n
\"Since the visibility was just 500 meters, (we) decided to
\ndelay the flight until it reached at least 1,000 meters,\" said
\nWahyu, denying speculation that technical problems had forced the
\ncompany to delay the flight.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/rain-fails-to-dissipate-haze-in-palangkaraya-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}