Thick haze returns in provinces
JAKARTA (JP): Just when people thought it was safe to return to the streets unmasked, thick haze from brush and forest fires made an unwelcome return to several towns in Sumatra and Kalimantan forcing the closure of at least eight airports, reports said yesterday.
The situation prompted people in the worst hit areas to again don protective masks when going outdoors.
The Environmental Impact Management Agency (Bapedal) said in a statement yesterday that the number of hot spots, or fire locations, had increased the previous day from 36 to 54.
The biggest increase in hot spots was in Central Kalimantan which jumped from 11 to 21.
South Sumatra was reported yesterday to have the second largest number of hot spots with 18.
"Apart from the air pollution in Sumatra and Kalimantan, there is potential for the situation to worsen from fires in Java and haze from Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea and Australia," the statement said.
Hundreds of thousands of hectares of forest and land have been destroyed by fire which has been exacerbated by the severe dry season. The haze in the past two months has severely affected areas in Sumatra and Kalimantan along with neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.
Intensive international assistance has helped reduce the impact of the fires and as of last week the situation was believed to be under control.
But intermittent rain has worsened the situation as it did not extinguish the fires, but only emanated more smoke.
Health
South Kalimantan's command post was quoted by Antara yesterday as saying that 165 people have been afflicted with severe respiratory problems.
In Central Kalimantan, Tjilik Riwut Airport in the provincial capital of Palangkaraya has been closed since Friday.
With visibility low, the transport of goods in the province has been difficult and the price of rice and other staple foods has shot up.
Palangkaraya residents have complained that the price of Siam rice has increased from Rp 1,400 (40 US cents) to Rp 1,800. Various food products were reportedly undergoing a 20 percent price-hike.
In Pekanbaru, Riau, people again donned their masks after a welcome respite last week.
Antara reported that visibility in the city was a mere 100 meters and motorists had to turn their headlights on during the day.
Simpang Tiga International Airport was also closed.
As visibility obstructed regular modes of transportation, horses were used to transport relief supplies to eight villages in the Kempar regency facing imminent food shortages.
In Jambi, several regencies reported that visibility was only 30 meters. Sultan Taha Airport in Jambi was closed as a result.
Most residents in Jambi stayed indoors and kept their homes tightly shut.
A resident was quoted by Antara as saying that the current haze was the worst ever encountered.
Hundreds of flights were canceled yesterday as the number of closed airports grew.
According to Bapedal, other airports which were closed included Supadio Airport in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, Sultan M. Baddarudin Airport in Palembang, South Sumatra, Temindung Airport in Samarinda, East Kalimantan, and Tabing Airport in Padang, West Sumatra.
The news agency reported that the Wolter Monginsidi Airport in Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi was also closed.
Malaysia yesterday advised ships without navigational equipment to refrain from sailing in the Strait of Malacca due to a blanket of smog which had cut visibility to under one km (half a mile).
The national Bernama news agency in Kuala Lumpur quoted the Meteorological Department as saying the thick smog was expected to remain in the busy strait which separates Malaysia from Indonesia until 4 p.m. (0800 GMT) today.
The smog from bush and forest fires in Indonesia has reduced viasibility in one of the world's busiest shipping lanes since August and been blamed for at least three ship collisions. (aan/42)