Pekanbaru, Riau, Sept 28 (Antarariau.com)- The education office of Pekanbaru City, Riau Province, has again shut down elementary, junior, and senior high schools on September 28-29 due to the thick haze shrouding the city.
The students have been advised to stay indoors as the haze has reached hazardous levels that could lead to respiratory disorders, pneumonia, eye and skin irritations, and other diseases, Lastriani, a school principal, stated here, Monday.
Amanda, a local resident, noted that she had taken her daughter Anindya (10) to the local community health center as she was coughing frequently and complained of pain in her chest.
"As parents, we hope the government and others would stop the forest fires because they have severely impacted the health of the countrys younger generation," she affirmed.
The Riau health office has set up eight health posts in Pekanbaru City to treat those affected by the haze.
During the period between June 29 and September 27, the Riau health office had recorded 37,396 cases of people suffering from respiratory disorders, 656 from pneumonia, 1,702 from asthma, 2,207 from eye irritation, and 2,911 others from skin irritation.
In the meantime, schools in Dharmasraya District in West Sumatra Province have also been shut down on Sept. 28-29 due to the haze arising from the forest fires on Sumatra Island.
The index to measure air quality known as particulate matter (PM10) reached 444.44 ug/Nm3 in Dharmasraya on Sunday (Sept. 29), according to the head of the local environmental affairs office.
Pekanbaru Again Shuts Down Schools Due To Haze
