The district was the worst region to have been hit by forest and land fires.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) district in South Sumatra Province has been accorded priority in efforts to put out land and forest fires as it had become the biggest source of haze, compared to other districts in Indonesia.
"Visibility in OKI is only about 100 meters. It still remains the worst hit by haze, based on data we have received," Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Luhut Pandjaitan told the press here on Monday.
Luhut said after observing the burnt areas in OKI, he found that the district was the worst region to have been hit by forest and land fires.
"After these were extinguished, the fires came back due to the winds blowing since the land there is covered by peat, which is very inflammable," the Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister said.
He said efforts to put out the fires through water bombing were also postponed due to low visibility of only 100 meters.
"It was also very difficult to induce artificial rain there because the air was foggy and the clouds were still inadequate. We are still waiting for the arrival of a Hercules aircraft which would help support the efforts to produce man-made rain," he said.
The chief security minister also underscored that all related parties have been coordinating well.
Among those who attended the press conference were Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Environment and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya Bakar, Health Minister Nila Moeloek and Deputy Chairman of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), Tri Budiarto.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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