Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA) - The presidential aircraft carrying President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) landed smoothly at Sultan Syarif Kasim II Airport in Pekanbaru at 6.30 p.m. Monday as thick smoke enveloped the Riau provincial capital in the past few days.

The President paid an impromptu visit to Riau to observe the smog and monitor the handling of forest and land fires in the province.

Air pollution in Pekanbaru surged up to 300 micrograms per cubic meter (µg/m3) between September 9 and 13, exceeding the daily PM10 threshold of 150 µg/m3, Head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) Dwikorita Karnawati said in Jakarta Saturday, September 14.

BMKG measures air quality using particulate matter (PM10), meaning that if the particle in the air is less than 10 micrograms it is hazardous for humans when it is inhaled.

The other city whose air quality exceeded the threshold level on September 12 and 13 is Jambi. (INE)

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Translator: FB Anggoro/Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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