Ships belonging to the Indonesian navy and state-owned shipping company PT Pelni may soon be called up to help with a large-scale evacuation of children in areas of the forest-fire hit Asian country.
Widespread blazes caused by slash-and-burn land clearing activities in Sumatra and Kalimantan have blanketed much of Southeast Asia in a thick, acrid smoke for the past two months and authorities in Jakarta this week admitted that conditions are unlikely to abate for at least a month due to an expected late arrival of the annual monsoon rains.
Pollution levels in areas closest to where the fires are burning have reached toxic levels and Indonesia’s coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs Luhut Pandjaitan revealed yesterday that plans have been drawn up to use ships belonging to Pelni and the Indonesian navy to evacuate children from the worst affected areas.
Evacuating by air is not a possibility as thick smoke has closed nearby airports. Pollution standards index (PSI) readings in parts of Kalimantan are currently in excess of the 1000pm level. Readings above 300pm are regarded as hazardous.
Severe haze conditions returned to Singapore and Malaysia today after several days of respite because of shifting winds.
PSI readings for downtown Singapore and much of Malaysia this afternoon were at “very unhealthy” levels.
Some airports in Malaysia have closed because of low visibility due to the smog.
Ships transiting the Malacca and Singapore Straits have been warned to proceed with caution due to restricted visibility levels.
