100 people fall ill daily due to haze

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)