Hazardous haze grounds flights in Indonesia's Palangka Raya
Thick smoke from forest and peatland fires blanketed Indonesia's Palangka Raya on Thursday, creating hazardous air conditions and disrupting flights at the city's main airport.
Footage showed homes, roads and buildings obscured by dense haze, while aircraft remained grounded at Tjilik Riwut Airport due to poor visibility.
Airport spokesperson Andi Wiguna said affected passengers were being provided with accommodation, food and drinks while awaiting updates from airlines. Some travellers had faced repeated cancellations over several days.
Flight disruptions began on September 17 as visibility deteriorated, falling to around 300 to 500 metres on Wednesday. The haze has been driven by ongoing forest and land fires across Central Kalimantan.
Air quality in Palangka Raya reached hazardous levels on Thursday, with an Air Pollution Standard Index reading of 352. Local authorities recorded 9,324 cases of acute respiratory infections between June and September.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
Netanyahu warns Iran war ‘not over’ as US divide grows
President Prabowo Subianto has ordered police to investigate companies potentially linked to fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan as authorities battle the outbreaks.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
