RI welcomes aid to combat fires<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The hazardous level of haze caused by forest
\nfires in Indonesia has prompted a joint response by neighboring
\ncountries offering over a thousand volunteers and water bombers
\nto help quench the blaze.<\/p>\n
Malaysia will send 1,210 volunteers to Sumatra and another 210
\nto Kalimantan to combat fires on the two giant islands,
\nIndonesian Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas
\nsaid here yesterday.<\/p>\n
The Malaysian government has also offered three C-130 Hercules
\nplanes to take part in cloudseeding operations with the
\nIndonesian Air Force.<\/p>\n
\"President Soeharto welcomes Malaysia's assistance to help us
\nface this disaster,\" he said at Merdeka Palace.<\/p>\n
Separately, deputy secretary of the National Disaster
\nManagement Coordinating Board Hernowo Hadiwonggo said Thailand
\nhad also offered to send two water bomber aircraft.<\/p>\n
\"Normally, we never ask for assistance, but we will consider
\nit when there are offers. Our policy is that we don't ask,\" he
\ntold The Jakarta Post at the board's command post yesterday.<\/p>\n
Hernowo also said that the haze caused by forest fires in the
\nlast three months had prompted four provinces in Kalimantan and
\nSumatra -- the worst disaster-stricken areas -- to declare a
\ncondition of first alert.<\/p>\n
\"First alert doesn't mean a state of emergency, however. It
\nmeans that the situation in the respective areas is dangerous,\"
\nhe said of the provinces of Riau, Jambi, South Kalimantan and
\nWest Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
He said that reports on losses caused by the fires and the
\nhaze have yet to be determined, but the health conditions of
\npeople in the affected areas are \"increasingly becoming poorer\".<\/p>\n
The government has not declared this year's forest fires a
\n\"national disaster\", but only a \"disaster\".<\/p>\n
Some 300,000 hectares of forests are reportedly ablaze. The
\nthick smoke has enveloped several areas including neighboring
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Malaysia is one of the worst hit areas with health effects of
\nthe haze reaching perilous levels.<\/p>\n
Azwar, also chairman of the National Coordinating Board for
\nDisaster Prevention, said most of the Malaysian volunteers would
\nleave for Dumai, Riau, next week. Another 210 would standby in
\nKuching and Sabah ready to be sent to Kalimantan at anytime.<\/p>\n
Choking<\/p>\n
The worsening situation has forced West Kalimantan Governor
\nAspar Aswin to suggest the possibility of closing schools in the
\nprovince starting tomorrow.<\/p>\n
\"But we need approval from the Minister of Education and
\nCulture,\" Antara quoted Aspar as saying.<\/p>\n
A very thick fog has also enveloped Banjarmasin, South
\nKalimantan, where visibility is less than 50 meters.<\/p>\n
At least 21 students were rushed to a hospital yesterday for
\nbreathing difficulties after attending a weekly morning flag-
\nraising ceremony at school.<\/p>\n
Local authorities have called for children under 5 years old
\nand the elderly to stay indoors.<\/p>\n
People in Pekanbaru, Riau, apparently do not realize the full
\nextent of the smoke's effects, as only a few were seen wearing
\nfacial masks. Most just covered their noses with their hands.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile in Pemalang, Central Java, 17 mountain hikers were
\nreportedly trapped yesterday evening at Mt. Slamet as fire
\nsuddenly blazed near the peak.<\/p>\n
Pemalang Police precinct Chief Lt. Col. Sangadi said 100
\nvolunteers were still searching for the victims.<\/p>\n
Malaysia and Singapore have warned ships sailing in the
\nMalacca Strait, one of the world's busiest waterways, to stay
\nalert since the smog has reduced visibility to less than 500
\nmeters.<\/p>\n
On Friday night, two cargo ships collided about 20 nautical
\nmiles from Malaysia's Port Klang although there was no report of
\nmajor damage. (prb\/aan\/har)<\/p>\n
Malaysia -- Page 6<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-welcomes-aid-to-combat-fires-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }