TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The National Disaster Mitigation Agency's (BNPB) data and information chief, Agus Wibowo, said there are 318 hotspots in Sumatra which have caused haze. From all the hotspots, part of them are located in Riau. “The hotspot monitor has 70 percent of level of confidence,” he told Tempo, Saturday, September 13.
Those hotspots have spread to Pelalawan, Meranti, Indragiri Hulu, Rokan Hulu, and Indragiri Hilir. Smoke that came from the hotspots has decreased the visibility to just three and four kilometers. Meanwhile, merely 1 kilometer of visibility in Pelalawan and Rengat.
An analyst of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Pekanbaru, Sanya Gautami, said the visibility has further decreased due to thickening smog. He said the visibility in Pekanbaru has dropped from 4 kilometers to 1.5 meters. He predicted the smoke is an accumulation from hotspots in Palembang and Jambi.
Sultan Syarif Kasim Riau Airport's managed Ibnu Hasan said the haze that has been enveloping Pekanbaru has not disrupted flight activities. “The flights are going smoothly and productively,” he uttered.
RIYAN NOFITRA