マレーシア・ニュース

ヘイズで閉鎖する空港も

インドネシア ： 森林火災による濃い煙により、インドネシアの空の便が麻痺している。視界が100メートルもない状態が続き空港は一時使用不能になっていると政府が昨日発表した。東南アジアに煙害を与えているこの森林火災はここ数週間続いており、97年から98年にヘイズのために巨額の経済的 損失を出した時の二の舞になる恐れがあるという。
火災はスマトラ、ボルネオ島を中心に発生しており、スマトラ島のスルタン・タハ空港ではここ１週間飛行機の運航が中止されている。インドネシアでは例年１０月から６ヶ月間雨季にはいり、激しい雨がヘイズを消してくれるそうだが、今年は雨がなかなか降らないため煙害の被害が拡大している。

　　スマトラ島で木を焼く村人

[ 10月19日　13：17　MCS]

ニュース・ソース

Indonesian airports paralysed by haze

MUSI BANYUASIN(Indonesia) : Thick smoke from forest fires in Indonesia has shut airports and slashed visibility to below 100m - and there is no respite in sight, officials said yesterday.
The fires have been raging for weeks, spreading smoke across much of South-East Asia and triggering fears of a repeat of the environmental disaster in 1997-1998 that cost the region billions of dollars in economic losses.
Jakarta has appealed for funds and equipment from Singapore and Malaysia, which have also suffered from the haze coming primarily from the Indonesian provinces on Sumatra and Borneo islands.
At Sultan Thaha airport in Sumatra's Jambi province, all flights were cancelled this week.
"It is not possible (to fly) at the moment. The visibility is terribly limited . The minimum should be 1,800 to 2,000 metres. Now, it is under 100 metres." said airport head Basuki Mardiyanto.
Mardiyanto is not counting on anything but the onset of heavy rain when the dry season ends to resolve the problem.
Indonesia's six-month rainy season usually starts in October, but it may come late this year in many areas or has started with only low intensity in others.
"Rain started a week ago but was localised and with low intensity. Such intensity will only add moisture above hatspots, especially those in peat land.
"Automatically, this causes more smoke," said Remus Lumban Tobing, head of Jambi's weather office.
Peat fires are hard to put out and con burn for months.
"The pessimistic view is a long wait until there is high intensity of rain.
Our prediction is in November," he said.
In neighbouring Musi Banyuasin region, villagers are concerned about fires spreading to residential areas.

＜19-10-2006 The Star＞
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