Haze blankets Palembang, Samarinda

Muhammad Uzair and Rusman, The Jakarta Post, Palembang/Samarinda

Haze blanketed on Thursday the cities of Palembang and Samarinda on Sumatra and Kalimantan islands, respectively, causing respiratory and eye problems.

In Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province, numerous residents experienced asthma-like symptoms and breathing difficulties because of the haze.

Muryati, 49, a resident of Plaju, Palembang, said she was forced to skip her morning exercise as a result of the smoke.

"I had to stay at home and skip my exercise because the air outside was choking," she said.

Pepeng, 26, a street vendor at Pasar 16 Ilir market, also complained about the smoke, which he said had caused his asthma to flare up.

"I can't stand to stay outside for long periods of time," he said.

Satellite data received by the Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Meteorology and Geophysical Agency in Palembang on Thursday, showed the source of the haze blanketing Palembang was the area of Ogan Komering Ilir, Palembang's neighboring regency, where 419 hot spots were detected.

Agency head Suyatim said the haze began to appear on Thursday morning.

The hot spots were probably caused by people negligently tossing aside cigarette butts or the intentional setting of fires to clear land, he said.

Palembang Mayor Edy Santana Putra expressed concern over the situation and told residents to avoid going outdoors as much as possible.

The South Sumatra Public Health Office is coordinating with health centers in Palembang to provide masks for residents.

In Samarinda, the capital of East Kalimantan province, the local authorities are blaming forest fires in Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan for the thick haze shrouding the city.

Kusnadi Katam, chief of Land and Forest Fire Management Office in the East Kalimantan provincial administration, said forest fires in the two provinces would continue to burn unless some rain fell.

"People should obtain masks in order to avoid breathing in hazardous materials from haze," said Kusnadi.

He said the haze problem in the province over the past few months had resulted in an increase in the number of people suffering from respiratory-related diseases.

In Pasir regency, near Samarinda, for example, the number of people reporting respiratory-related diseases was 507 in July, rising to 1,588 in August.