Rain brings Pontianak reprieve

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: After being chocked by thick smog for almost three weeks, Pontianak residents welcomed the rain that fell on Sunday and Monday.

The heavy rains brought a reprieve for residents who have been suffering through the haze, caused by forest fires and peat fires.

"Thank God. The weather was very good on Monday morning and we had another heavy downpour," said Goreti, a housewife in Siantan Huly, North Pontianak, on Monday evening.

Another resident said there was still smoke near his house from the peat fires. "This means that the rains were not enough to extinguish the peat fires."

The haze blanketing the city for the past three weeks has caused many residents to complain of physical illnesses.

Dr. Oscar Permadi, the head of the Pontianak City Health Office, earlier said that from July 2 to July 15 almost 2,500 people had visited community health centers with respiratory problems.

The haze has also disrupted flight schedules at the Supadio Airport. It was not clear, however, whether the flight schedules had returned to normal on Sunday and Monday. (46/sur)