Pekanbaru airport temporarily closed

Pekanbaru airport temporarily closed

PEKANBARU, Riau: Simpang Tiga International Airport has been
temporarily closed since yesterday morning to all landing
aircraft because of thick smoke, believed to be from smoldering
forest fires, Antara reported.

All airports that have planes bound for Pekanbaru had been
notified of the closure, Yaisirin, an airport official, said.

Thick smoke brought visibility on the airport's runway down to
a mere 200 to 250 meters, compared with a minimum of 1,000 meters
required for most planes, Yaisirin said.

The airport's instrument landing system could guide planes,
but that still required a minimum visibility of 800 meters, he
said.

"For passenger safety, the airport had to be closed to all
types of incoming flights," he said.

Thick smoke has also affected residents in Pekanbaru and other
parts of Riau. Pekanbaru General Hospital said it had to treat
many patients with respiratory problems, Antara reported. (09)