Rain fails to dissipate haze in Palangkaraya

Rain fails to dissipate haze in Palangkaraya

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite heavy downpours of rain over the last few days, thick
haze from out-of-control forest fires is still blanketing
Palangkaraya town and many parts of Central Kalimantan, forcing
airline companies to indefinitely suspend flights to and from the
provincial capital.

Meanwhile, in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, motorcyclists
have started wearing masks due to the thick haze.

The South Kalimantan Health Office has also distributed a
total of 10,000 masks to 10 regencies in the province and urged
local residents to wear them if they are heading outdoors.

The haze, which has been plaguing Kalimantan for more than two
months now, has caused a health crisis in Central Kalimantan,
with the number of people suffering from respiratory problems
rising rapidly.

Data provided by the Doris Sylvanus Palangkaraya Public
Hospital showed that the number of people suffering from
respiratory problems had increased to 113 in August from 84 in
July.

The hospital's director, Dr. Arnold Singarimbun, told Antara
on Wednesday that three persons, including two children, had died
of pneumonia since July.

The haze has also forced airline company PT Merpati Nusantara
to indefinitely suspend its flights to and from Palangkaraya
since Aug. 26.

Thick smog also covered Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan,
reducing visibility to less than 500 meters on Tuesday.

The poor visibility prompted airline companies to either delay
or cancel flights to and from Banjarmasin's Syamsuddin Noor
Airport.

Mandala Airlines' Banjarmasin District Manager R. Wahyu
Budiadi told Antara that all flights to and from Syamsuddin Noor
Airport had proceeded as scheduled on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, Mandala had to delay a flight from Surabaya, East
Java, to Banjarmasin due to poor visibility.

"Since the visibility was just 500 meters, (we) decided to
delay the flight until it reached at least 1,000 meters," said
Wahyu, denying speculation that technical problems had forced the
company to delay the flight.