02 Oct 2019 | 09:38 AM UTC
Indonesia: State of emergency revoked in Riau as air quality stabilizes September 30 /update 6
Authorities revoke state of emergency as air quality stabilizes in Riau September 30; residual haze situation to continue in the coming days, weeks
Event
On Monday, September 30, authorities have revoked the state of emergency, triggered by hazy situation in the province of Riau, declared on Monday, September 23. The decision was made following an improvement of air quality in the province of Riau, where Air Pollution Index (API) stabilized to moderate levels with a reading of 78 at 10:00 (local time) in Pekanbaru on Wednesday, October 2.
The ASEAN Specialized Meteorological Center (ASMC) stated rainfall would continue to ease the haze. Some residual hotspots are likely to maintain localized hazy conditions, notably in the southern provinces of Sumatra, namely Jambi, South Sumatra, and Lampung. The API reading in Jabungtibur (Jambi) remains was still at of 217 around 14:00 on Wednesday.
Context
Indonesia frequently experiences air pollution (haze) caused by forest fires between June to October. Ongoing large-scale forest and agricultural fires in Sumatra and Borneo islands have caused severed hazy conditions (dust, smoke, and vapor) in the past few weeks, leading to transportation disruptions and casualties.
An API reading of 0-50 is considered good, 51-100 moderate, and 101-200 unhealthy.
Advice
Individuals in Indonesia are advised to monitor Air Pollutant Index Management System (APIMS) updates and health advisories issued by the Indonesian Department of Environment, and seek medical assistance if needed.
