Pekanbaru, Riau, Feb 26 (Antaranews Riau) - Thousand of residents in Riau Province have suffered respiratory problems after they were exposed to air pollution caused by land and forest fires in the region.
Head of Riau Health Office Mimi Nazir said here on Tuesday, Dumai City has recorded the largest number of patients, with 2,199 people suffered from upper respiratory tract infection (ISPA), seven people with pneumonia, 52 people with asthma, 58 people with eye irritation, and 28 people with skin irritation.
In Bengkalis District, the health office has found 247 people with ISPA, asthma (15), pneumonia (4), eye irritation (24) and skin irritation (13).
Baca juga: Haze Begins To Cause Problem In Visibility In Riau: BMKG
In Rohil District the authority has found 42 people with ISPA, asthma (4), eye irritation (8) and skin irritation (16).
Nazir said, the office has sent a team to Rupat Island in Bengkalis District to help residents exposed by the haze.
Riau Province has declared an emergency status for land and forest fire since February 19, that would last for eight months.
Peatland fires are still occurring especially in the coastal areas of the province.
Data of the Provincial Natural Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD) showed that the land and forest fire in the region during January to February 2019 has covered an area of 1,136 hectares.
The Terra Aqua satellite of Pekanbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) at 06 a.m on Tuesday has detected 23 hot spots, that could be an early indication of forest fire in Riau.
The hot spots spread in Bengkalis (5 hot spots), Indragiri Hilir (2), Pelalawan (8), Siak (7), and Dumai (1).
Fourteen hot spots are detected with more than 70 percent of accuracy, or confirmed to be forest/land fires.
Baca juga: Haze Worsens In Riau Province
Thousand of Riau residents suffer respiratory problems due to haze
haze (Antaranews)
