Day turns into night as haze worsens in Sumatra

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)