Residents cheer sporadic rain amid drought, haze<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Amidst pessimistic forecasts that the current
\ndrought could drag on even longer, rains fell sporadically
\nyesterday to the great cheer from residents who had been
\nsuffering from water shortages and foul air due to haze for the
\npast several months.<\/p>\n
Three hours of drizzle lifted the spirits of residents in
\nBandung, West Java. \"It will at least be able to reduce dust on
\nthe streets and the roofs,\" said Dadang, a local.<\/p>\n
In Surabaya, the capital city of East Java, about 15 minutes
\nof rain was welcomed by residents of Tambaksari, Semampir and
\nSukolilo districts.<\/p>\n
Two hours of heavy downpours came over Banjarmasin, South
\nKalimantan, early Friday, accompanied by lightning and strong
\nwinds. Fog blanketed the city, which has for the past several
\nmonths been plagued by haze causing poor visibility and forcing
\nresidents to wear not only protective masks but also use lamps to
\nlight their way.<\/p>\n
Earlier in the week, downpours in the Central Java regency of
\nBojonegoro brought disaster. Strong winds and torrential rains
\nkilled a ten-year-old boy on Wednesday and ruined 30 houses.<\/p>\n
Sporadic rain also fell on Friday and Saturday in several
\nplaces in North Sumatra, Irian Jaya and North Sulawesi.<\/p>\n
However, National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency officials
\nwarned people not to expect too much, because dry winds coming
\nfrom Australia are still dominant and may delay the real monsoon
\nseason.<\/p>\n
\"It is unlikely that the rainy season will come at least
\nbefore November,\" said agency chief Sri Diharto yesterday.<\/p>\n
Minister of Agriculture Sjarifudin Baharsjah said Friday that
\nsignificant amounts of rain would unlikely fall before Christmas
\nthis year.<\/p>\n
This year's severe drought has exacerbated the problem of
\nforest fires and has caused health problems, as well as failed
\ncrops and rice harvests in several provinces. Thick smog and poor
\nvisibility has also caused a number of traffic accidents, the
\nlast of which was the collision last Sunday of two boats in
\nBarito River, Central Kalimantan, killing 28 people.<\/p>\n
President Soeharto denied last week that a food shortage has
\nforced people in some provinces to eat cassava for their daily
\nmeals.<\/p>\n
\"Farmers in some regencies in Java prefer to consume tiwul
\n(foodstuff made of cassava) or mix it with rice because they
\nbelieve it gives them extra strength to work in their fields,\"
\nSoeharto insisted.<\/p>\n
A total of 461 drought-related deaths was recorded recently in
\nthe regencies of Jayawijaya, Puncak Jaya and Merauke in Irian
\nJaya.<\/p>\n
Antara reported yesterday that toxic smoke has caused at least
\n11 deaths in Central Kalimantan during this dry season.<\/p>\n
\"More than 23,000 people have also suffered pulmonary
\nproblems,\" the official news agency said.<\/p>\n
Many residents in Sumatra and Kalimantan have suffered from
\nrespiratory infections, pulmonary problems and asthma from the
\nhaze caused by forest fires.<\/p>\n
Choking haze from Indonesian forest fires also enveloped
\nSingapore, Malaysia, Brunei, some parts of the Philippines and
\nThailand. International criticism of Indonesia has been pouring
\nin because of the forest fires. (prb\/42)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/residents-cheer-sporadic-rain-amid-drought-haze-1447893297",
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