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Local authorities gear up for haze frenzy
Covered in haze: A boat travels on the waters of the Barito River while haze in the sky is seen from the North Barito area, Central Kalimantan, on Sunday
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Covered in haze: A boat travels on the waters of the Barito River while haze in the sky is seen from the North Barito area, Central Kalimantan, on Sunday. The haze was caused from burning off forests to clear the land.(Antara/Kasriadi) (Antara/Kasriadi)
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span class="caption">Covered in haze: A boat travels on the waters of the Barito River while haze in the sky is seen from the North Barito area, Central Kalimantan, on Sunday. The haze was caused from burning off forests to clear the land.(Antara/Kasriadi)
Haze caused by land and forest fires blanketed a number of cities in Sumatra and Kalimantan over the past several days, forcing local authorities to initiate emergency responses such as setting up temporary health posts and shutting down schools in the worst-affected areas.
In Jambi, haze covered the provincial capital of Jambi city, West and East Tanjung Jabung regencies, as well as Muarojambi, causing health problems among the local people.
In response to the situation, East Tanjung Jabung Regent Zumi Zola asked for the deployment of paramedics and the establishment of health posts in Pematang Rahim subdistrict, Mendahara Hulu, one of the worst-affected areas in the regency.
He said schools in the subdistrict had also been temporarily shut down and masks had been distributed to local residents.
'They must not run out of masks. I have told Mendahara Hulu district head to directly coordinate with me if something is needed,' Zumi said.
Separately, West Tanjung Jabung Police's water police unit chief First Insp. N Hutagalung said that his office had intensified water patrols to ensure the safety of local fishermen.
Meanwhile in Riau, haze was seen blanketing some parts of the province over the weekend although only one fire spot was identified in the province by the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency's (BMKG) Pekanbaru office.
BMKG Pekanbaru head Sugarin said that only one fire spot was detected in Siak Sri Indrapura district, Siak regency, with a reliability level of over 70 percent.
'This means that the fire is likely still happening,' Sugarin said.
Sugarin said the haze that had blanketed several areas, including the provincial capital of Pekanbaru, Pelalawan and Rengat regencies, had likely been brought from outside the region by the wind.
According to the BMKG, the levels of visibility in Pekanbaru, Pelalawan and Rengat on Sunday morning were recorded at distances of 1 kilometer, 2 kilometers and 3 kilometers respectively.
Many regions in Sumatra have been struggling to put out massive land and forest fires that emerged over the past few weeks due to this year's prolonged dry season, which has been a result of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Fires on bushes in peatland in some locations on the outskirts of Palangkaraya, Central Kalimantan, have also been blamed as the source of the haze that has blanketed the province over the past several days.
Pediatrician Ni Made Yuliandri, who also leads the city's association of pediatricians, said there had been an increase in cases of upper respiratory infections among children as the haze worsened in Palangkaraya.
'Most children are having complaints of flu and cough accompanied by fever,' said Yuliandri.
