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Foreign aid to be concentrated in South Sumatra: President
(Tribunnews
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(Tribunnews.com/M.Awaludin Fajri) (Tribunnews.com/M.Awaludin Fajri)
(Tribunnews.com/M.Awaludin Fajri)
President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo said that assistance from several countries to extinguish forest and land fires would be concentrated in South Sumatra.
"Based on our observation, the largest number of hot spots are located in South Sumatra," said Jokowi during a visit to a clinic for haze victims in Kampar regency in Riau on Friday as quoted by Antara news agency.
According to Jokowi, several countries that offered aid for the haze disaster included Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Russia, Australia and China.
"[Assistance from] Singapore has arrived today. [Aid from] other countries will probably start coming on Sunday," said Jokowi.
He added that the support included aircraft that can carry more than 10 tons of water for water bombing.
"We should realize that we are dealing with peat land, which may have no fires above but are raging below," said Jokowi.
He also said that the handling of the disaster was made more difficult by the vast location of fires burning and the prolonged dry season caused by the weather phenomenon El Niño.
According to Kampar regent Jefry Noer, the haze had caused an increasing number of acute respiratory infections in the regency.
"Around 20 people come to the clinic every day, which offers free treatment for 24 hours," said Jefry. (kes)(++++)
