Focus

State of emergency declared in Kalimantan due to severe air pollution, forest fires

06 Oct 2023 05:22pm
Pix for illustration purpose only. - FILE PIX by AFP
Pix for illustration purpose only. - FILE PIX by AFP
A
A
A

JAKARTA - Authorities in Indonesia's Central Kalimantan have officially declared a state of emergency for the next 10 days, starting Friday (Oct 6), following severe air pollution and reduced visibility caused by ongoing forest and land fires, said Governor H. Sugianto Sabran.

He said the air pollution index reached hazardous levels on Oct 3, with visibility dropping to less than 1,500 metres on Oct 2 due to thick smoke.

"Data collected from Jan 1 to Oct 2 revealed a concerning total of 38,104 detected hotspots in the region. This has led to 3,230 recorded instances of forest and land fires, with firefighting efforts successfully extinguishing 9,137 hectares of affected land,” he said in a statement.

To address this emergency, authorities have allocated a budget of 110 billion rupiah (approximately RM33 million), to intensify firefighting operations and provide mobile health services to the affected population. - BERNAMA

Related Articles:
kalimantan
air quality
Air Pollutant Index (API)
air pollution
forest fire
More Like This
People look out from inside a sweathouse sauna at Baginbun beach, near Wexford, on the south-east coast of Ireland on April 1, 2024. - Photo by AFP
People look out from inside a sweathouse sauna at Baginbun beach, near Wexford, on the south-east coast of Ireland on April 1, 2024. - Photo by AFP
World A 'healthy addiction': Sea saunas make waves in Ireland
Aside from their health benefits, the cosy boltholes are ideal havens in Ireland's wild and often wet and chilly weather.
A doctor stands near bodies lined up for identification after they were unearthed from a mass grave found in the Nasser Medical Complex Photo by AFP
A doctor stands near bodies lined up for identification after they were unearthed from a mass grave found in the Nasser Medical Complex Photo by AFP
World Bodies uncovered in Gaza mass graves raise suspicions of organ theft
165 remain unidentified after their bodies were disfigured
Students and onlookers watch a rally in support of Israel outside the gates of Columbia University from a nearby bridge on April 25, 2024 in New York City. Israel supporters are reacting to the growing number of college campuses throughout the country whose student protesters are setting up pro-Palestinian tent encampments on school grounds. - Photo by AFP
Students and onlookers watch a rally in support of Israel outside the gates of Columbia University from a nearby bridge on April 25, 2024 in New York City. Israel supporters are reacting to the growing number of college campuses throughout the country whose student protesters are setting up pro-Palestinian tent encampments on school grounds. - Photo by AFP
World Columbia University drops deadline for dismantling pro-Palestinian protest camp
Police have carried out large-scale arrests in universities across the country, at times using chemical irritants and tasers to disperse protests.
Rumy Al-Qahtani, Miss Saudi Arabia, poses for a picture during an interview with AFP at her home in Riyadh on April 19, 2024. Qahtani is set to be the first ever participant representing Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition in 2024. (Photo by AFP)
Rumy Al-Qahtani, Miss Saudi Arabia, poses for a picture during an interview with AFP at her home in Riyadh on April 19, 2024. Qahtani is set to be the first ever participant representing Saudi Arabia in the Miss Universe competition in 2024. (Photo by AFP)
World Saudi could get first Miss Universe contestant this year
Saudi model Rumy al-Qahtani created a buzz online in late March when she posted to her hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers that she was "honoured" to represent Saudi Arabia at Miss Universe at the upcoming event.