100 people fall ill daily due to haze

JAKARTA (JP): An estimated 100 residents of Palangkaraya in Central Kalimantan, which is one of the worst affected areas by the forest fires and haze, fall ill with respiratory infections every day, according to an official.

Antara quoted Tukik Toemon, the head of the provincial health office, as saying yesterday that a total of 23,303 sufferers of respiratory problems had sought medical attention at village clinics and Dr. Doris Silvanus Public Hospital between July and September.

He said 11 people had died of the problems in local hospitals during the same period.

The official also called on residents, especially in areas with the most foul air such as Palangkaraya and Kotawaringin Timur regency, to reduce their time outdoors. Residents should also close doors and windows, and drink more liquids in order to avoid lung irritation caused by the smoke.

The warning especially targeted children and elderly people.

"The concentration of dust particles in this region's air has far exceeded the level considered safe for humans," Tukik said.

On Oct. 24, for instance, the amount of dust particles recorded was 2,910 mg/m3, or 11 times the safe level of 260 mg/m3.

The Ministry of Health has recently said in a report that in the 12 provinces it studied, approximately 20,000 people in each province had fallen ill of respiratory problems because of the haze. Of the number, however, less than 50 people sought medical attention.

The prolonged drought, which has been going on for about five months and which some experts have predicted would drag on for another three to four months, has caused widespread forest fires, choking haze, crop failures and subsequent food shortages, as well as health problems.

Indonesia has been receiving international criticism on the fires, but also foreign assistance to help put out the fires and relieve the starvation. Malaysia, Japan, Australia and the United States, for instance, have not only extended financial aid but also equipment and personnel to fight the forest fires.

Yesterday, the U.S. Fire 21 team prepared to leave East Java whose forest fires they had helped to extinguish since Oct. 20. Team commander, Col. Harold Reed, said in a farewell reception that the local community had been helpful in fighting the fires that ravaged about 3,700 hectares of forest.

Consisting of 54 people, the firefighting team was equipped with two Hercules C-130 water bombers, one C-141 cargo jet and another Hercules C-130 logistics aircraft. Each of the water bombers is able to transport 12,000 liters of water and offload it on the fires within 10 minutes time.

The water supply was taken from the Turen River not far from the airbase.

Meanwhile, the Environmental Impact and Management Agency described in its report yesterday the forest fire situation which has not improved so far.

Satellite monitoring on Tuesday showed that thick, choking smoke still blanketed some areas in South Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan and most of Sumatra covering the provinces of Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Sumatra, Bengkulu, Lampung and North Sumatra.

Patches of thin smoke covered some areas in Aceh, Kalimantan, and Sarawak, and a little of the Malaysian peninsula and Java on Tuesday.

Satellites also detected 76 hot spots or fire locations in Sumatra but could not read Kalimantan. Four airports were closed Tuesday -- the Sultan Taha in Jambi, the Sultan M. Baddarudin in Palembang, the Tabing in Padang, West Java, and the Ciluk Riwut in Palangka Rata.

Welfare

One of the areas worst affected by drought-related deaths was Irian Jaya in the eastern tip of Indonesia. Officials said 461 malnourished people had died of various illnesses in three regencies. Relief has been pouring in but difficult terrain and haze had often hampered airlifts.

Yesterday, Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Azwar Anas visited Wamena, the capital of Jayawijaya regency, which recorded the most deaths. Accompanied by local leaders, including Regent J.B. Wenas, the minister spoke to and soothed residents and appeased the concern of local priests.

Antara also reported yesterday how starvation in the regency of Puncak Jaya, Irian Jaya, might have been caused by poisonous haze that had destroyed local crops of sweet potatoes.

Regent Ruben Ambrauw said over the weekend that the potato plantations belonged to residents of Sinak and Bionga districts.

The first haze, he said, took place throughout the whole day during one day in mid-July and another occurrence took place in August.

"The smoke disappeared by the next day, but the sweet potatoes and vegetables were ruined," Ambrauw said. (swe)