JAKARTA (Bernama): Smoke pollutants from forest and land fires in Indonesia’s Sumatra and Kalimantan are drifting towards the Malacca Strait and Natuna Sea, raising the risk of transboundary haze affecting Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei.
A Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) forecast for Aug 29 and 30, presented during the National Disaster Mitigation Agency’s (BNPB) daily online press conference on Sunday, showed concentrations of PM2.5 from the fires spreading northwest, with winds potentially carrying the pollutants towards the three neighbouring countries.
BNPB Acting Head of the Data, Information and Disaster Communication Centre Berton Panjaitan said haze conditions remained severe in parts of Kalimantan, with visibility across three priority provinces ranging from just one to 1.5 kilometres compared with visibility of between 2.4 and five kilometres in the affected provinces of Sumatra.
Air quality also remained hazardous in several parts of Kalimantan, with the Air Pollutant Standard Index (ISPU) reaching 877 in Katingan, Central Kalimantan, followed by 720 in Southeast Pontianak, West Kalimantan, and 715 in Barito Selatan Sanggu, Central Kalimantan, as of 4.41 pm on Sunday, he said.
“When air quality reaches unhealthy or hazardous levels, we always advise people to minimise outdoor activities and, if they must go outside, to wear a mask,” Berton said.
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