Day turns into night as haze worsens in Sumatra

JAKARTA (JP): Night and day were almost indistinguishable in some cities in Sumatra as thick haze limited visibility to a minimum and the danger of respiratory problems increased yesterday.

"I don't leave the house without my mask, and when riding my motorcycle, I always turn my headlights on to avoid accidents," said Surildirman a resident of Padang, West Sumatra.

"The haze is so thick that motorists can't see each other," a delivery man was quoted by Antara as saying yesterday.

Along the bypass and Jl. Sukarno Hatta, visibility was reported to be just a few dozen meters.

The haze from brush and forest fires which was thought to be dissipating made a rude return over the weekend, shrouding cities in Sumatra and Kalimantan, and paralyzing flights as airports were forced to shut down.

More than 300,000 hectares of forest and land have been destroyed in the fires over the last several months.

An international contingent of firefighters has helped douse the fires over the past month, but a change in wind direction and unfavorable weather conditions have exacerbated the situation.

Hundreds of thousands of Indonesians have been affected by the haze which could cause long-term respiratory problems. In the past few days alone, hundreds of flights have been canceled as airports shut down.

Bakhrul, an official from the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency office in Tabing airport in Padang, West Sumatra, said the weather conditions made it impossible for planes to land.

"The weather situation has worsened in the last three days. In the morning, visibility was less than 100 meters, much lower than Monday which was still between 1,000 and 2,000 meters," said Bakhrul.

Tabing Airport, the only airport in West Sumatra, has been closed since Tuesday.

In Jambi, residents have complained that they can no longer tell the difference between night and day.

"Even though it may be 2 p.m., it still feels like early morning because the thick haze is making the city dark," vegetable seller Usman was quoted by Antara as saying.

Yuli, a housewife, said: "Unless I look at my watch, I wouldn't know what time of day it is. It's so thick that we can't tell the difference and the air is also always cool."

Masks have also become regular attire for many activities since the haze problem started.

"I've had to wear a protective mask in my courtroom," said Judge Ali Syaripuddin. "The haze just simply fills the room."

In Pekanbaru, Riau, the provincial administration yesterday set up plans to combat the raging fires in the province which have caused thick haze.

But according to the assistant for people's welfare at the provincial office M. Azaly Djohan, the haze not only comes from two identified hot spots in the region but also emanates from hot spots in other provinces. (mds)