Government issues warning about escalating fires
JAKARTA (JP): Thick haze continued to blanket most parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan as the government issued another warning yesterday against escalating brush and forest fires.
Minister of Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said yesterday the latest evaluation by the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency revealed the possibility that the dry season could last for another two weeks. He said this should serve as a warning to people living in fire-prone areas.
"This year's dry season is different from those of previous years. For the first time ever the dry season deviates (from the normal pattern)," Sarwono said after a meeting of ministers under the auspices of the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare Azwar Anas.
"The extended dry spell may add to the risks already facing the people," he said.
Indonesia has been hit by a severe drought largely blamed on the El Nio effect. The drought has contributed to widespread forest fires mostly in Sumatra and Kalimantan, and to famine in some remote areas.
Secretary for the Coordinating Minister of People's Welfare Suyono, who also attended the meeting, said that as of Oct. 15 the death toll in famine-stricken areas in the Irian Jaya regencies of Jayawijaya, Puncak Jaya and Merauke stood at 461.
The figure given was lower than that calculated by nonofficial sources such as non-governmental organizations actively helping distribute relief to areas affected by famine.
Suyono said that the casualties had been recorded from July.
"The people died of water shortages, diarrhea, dehydration and respiratory problems," he said.
He said 39 tons of rice, mineral water, sugar, salt and medical supplies had been sent to the affected areas.
The Armed Forces headquarters deployed 12 pilots to help the delivery of food by Hercules aircraft.
Fires, meanwhile, have caused choking smog over a large part of Southeast Asia, although the government has said the natural disaster was easing.
Aggravating haze returned to Pekanbaru, Riau yesterday after residents just started waking up to blue skies again over the past week.
Visibility was reduced to only 500 meters yesterday, causing the closure of Simpang Tiga Airport. A number of flights were canceled, except a Merpati Nusantara which departed for Jakarta at 1.30 p.m. amid the smog.
Governor Soeripto, Pekanbaru Mayor Oesman Effendi Apan and the province's other senior officials were on board the Merpati flight, Antara reported.
Simpang Tiga was among 13 airports across Sumatra that have been closed due to limited visibility since Saturday, the Environment Impact Management Agency said in its release obtained by The Jakarta Post yesterday.
Padang was one of the worst affected by the haze. With visibility between 1,000 meters and 2,000 meters, officials closed the Tabing Airport.
After three months, the haze has yet to ease in Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan. Visibility in the province's capital city slumped to a record five meters -- visibility of 100 meters is considered "zero visibility".
Air and land transportation were seriously affected, with Tjilik Riwut Airport already closed. People wanting to travel by air have been asked to depart from the airport of the neighboring South Kalimantan province Syamsuddin Noor.
Indonesia's efforts to douse the fires were further boosted yesterday as French and Japanese governments decided to join forces.
France will donate Rp 275 million (US$ 78,571) worth of fire fighting equipment, while Japan will send 30 firefighters and two helicopters to Indonesia.
The firefighters, accompanied by ministry officials, will leave Tokyo Wednesday and plan to stay in Indonesia for three weeks, the Information and Cultural Office of the Japanese Embassy here said.
It is Japan's second rescue mission to the region to combat the fires following a dispatch of Japanese doctors, fire fighting and air pollution experts last month.
France's latest offer of assistance follows President Jacques Chirac's letter to President Soeharto on the serious effects of the fires on Indonesia and the Southeast Asian region. (amd)