Rain eliminates haze in Pontianak

Rain eliminates haze in Pontianak

PONTIANAK, West Kalimantan: The sky above Pontianak and its outskirts was blue again and the sun shone brightly on Saturday following heavy rain that eliminated the thick haze that had been blanketing East Kalimantan for days beforehand.

Many people, including children, the worst affected by the smoke and air pollution, emerged once again from their houses to enjoy the fresh air.

But, local authorities warned that the haze could reappear as there were still 440 hotspots located in the province.

Sugeng Harjo, spokesman for the Pontianak municipal administration, said his office had detected dozens of hotspots and fires in areas surrounding the city.

Stefanus Agus Purwanto, chief of the local office of the Meteorological and Geophysics Agency, concurred and said the province was still under threat from the haze as the dry season was expected to last until September, 2002. --Antara