Haze from Sumatra shrouds Penang

Haze from Sumatra shrouds Penang

MALAYSIA: Malaysia's tourist island of Penang was shrouded with
thick haze on Sunday, probably caused by smoke drifting over from
fires in neighboring Indonesia, an official said.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department said that visibility
over the island in the country's north was very low at between
three and five kilometers.

"The haze is most likely from Sumatra island because for the
past few days we have observed hotspot fires there," Ambun
Dindanj, a meterological officer in the Kuala Lumpur bureau, told
AFP.

He said predictions of continuing winds from Sumatra to
Malaysia's west would see the haze persist over the next few
days.

Haze caused by fires in Indonesia and Malaysia are a common
occurrence during a hot dry season.

In 1997 and 1998, haze caused by Indonesian forest fires
enveloped parts of Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, for
months. They caused an estimated US$9.3 billion in economic
losses to the region due to serious health problems, traffic
hazards and flight disruptions. -- AFP