TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The plan to conduct Weather Engineering Technique (TMC) to fight the fire on Riau forests was forced to halt as the Cassa-212 aircraft was out of order.
"Today's engineered rain could not be done because the Cassa aircraft is broken," said the Commander of Aerial Fire Brigade, Col. Andyawan to reporters in the Maze Mitigation Center, Roesmin Nurjadin Air Base, Pekanbaru, on Saturday, March 8.
According to Andyawan, the aircraft is having a problem on its boosterpam and had to be put out of order while waiting the spare parts delivered from Bandung. However, Andyawan said, the artificial rain will continue to be done today. The Indonesian Air Force has sent one of its Hercules to spread the salt. The water bombing operation also continued to be done using 4-tons Sirkovsky helicopter, which was focused on Giam Siak Kecil Biosphere Reserve as the biggest contributor to the haze.
On Saturday, the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) had stated that the Tera and Aqua satellite has spotted 443 hotspots in Riau. The thick haze has disrupted the schedule of 14 flights.
RIYAN NOFITRA
