Thick Haze Covering Bengkalis

Dumai, Riau, May 13 (ANTARA) - Most parts of Bengkalis District, Riau Province, have been covered by thick haze since two days ago due to forest and plantation fires.

Haze had covered main roads and housing complexes in the evening and morning, Isjah, a local resident of Bengkalis, said here Friday.

"The haze has hurt my eyes and caused respiratory problem," he said.

Head of the Bengkalis health office Zulfan Herri said the air quality in his area tended to get worse over the past two years.

The Air Pollution Standard Index (PSI) is estimated at around 90-150 PSI.

"This condition means not good, and the people should outdoor less to void getting respiratory problem or throat infection," he said.

Suiswantoro, head of the Bengkalis Environmental Affairs Agency (BLH) said there are six locations of forest/plantation fires in the district.

Four hotspots in Mandau and Siak sub district, one in Pinggir and another in Bukit Batu.

"The forest fires have produced haze in Bengkalis, and there are also haze coming from Dumai city and Rokan Hilir district," he said.

Meanwhile, forest and plantation fires in Rokan Hilir District, Riau province, have produced haze covering the district over the last few days.

The haze significantly reduced the air quality in the region and the pollutant standard index (PSI) to 100, Surya Arfan, head of the Rokan Hilir environmental impact control agency, said here Tuesday.

"At the number, the air quality is categorized as healthy but only in certain hours like midnight until early morning," he said.

A number of local residents suffer from respiratory problem due to the haze, he said.

"We will see in the next few days, if the condition gets worse, we will distribute face masks especially to elementary students who are joining the national exam at present," he said.