‘Gift from God’: Rain brings relief from Indonesia toxic haze

Recent rains have provided much-needed relief to residents of Pontianak, Indonesia, who have been suffering from a hazardous haze caused by extensive wildfires on Borneo and Sumatra islands.

The fires, exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon and slash-and-burn agricultural practices, have led to significant health concerns, including respiratory issues and limited outdoor activities.

Despite efforts with cloud-seeding, water-bombing, and firefighting, the air quality in the region continues to breach safe levels set by the World Health Organization.

The rain is seen as a hopeful sign of improvement, bringing clearer air and easing the hazardous conditions.

PONTIANAK, Sept 29 — Welcome rain has brought relief to residents of Indonesia’s Pontianak city after weeks of exposure to a cloying, toxic haze given off by rampant wildfires on Borneo island.

Fires have torn through vast swathes of peat and forest areas on Borneo and nearby Sumatra island, with the resulting haze drifting also to neighbouring Malaysia and Singapore.

The thick smog had limited outdoor activities in Pontianak, a city of about 700,000 people, with schools forced to shutter and thousands of respiratory cases recorded in the region since last month, according to officials.

Rains in recent days have brought a welcome respite, said homemaker Lilis Suryani, who has been worrying about the effects of the haze on her children’s health.

“After the rain, I immediately felt the difference. The air was better, and the visibility was clearer,” the 43-year-old told AFP.

University student Uray Rosa Febrianti, 23, said that “the rain means a lot... not only to cool the air, but also to give hope that the situation is beginning to improve”.

“I see it as a gift from God.”

Indonesia has deployed firefighters assisted by volunteers across affected areas, and used cloud-seeding and water-bombing, with limited success.

The level of PM2.5 pollution in Pontianak was still more than 23 times the World Health Organization’s safe limit at one point today, according to IQAir, a Switzerland-based monitor.

Earlier this month, levels of PM2.5 in the city were over 100 times the recommended cap.

PM2.5 particles are so small they can enter deep into the lungs and even the bloodstream, with potentially dire consequences for health.

Indonesia regularly battles wildfires during the dry season, which in Borneo typically peaks between July and September.

The fires have intensified this year in part because of the El Nino weather phenomenon, set to be one of the strongest since comparable records began four decades ago.

El Nino typically brings severe drought to Indonesia.

Experts have also pointed to slash-and-burn land-clearing practices that have changed the naturally fire-resistant landscape. — AFP

North Korea rejects South’s claim over deadly DMZ mine blasts

Netanyahu accused of ‘fear-mongering’ over warning of attack before vote by rival

Trump backs AI industry pledge to police itself

Dr Mahathir admitted to IJN for observation

Malaysia denounces Israeli settler raid on Al-Aqsa Mosque, urges UN action

Penang draws 285,400 medical tourists, RM601.8m revenue in first half of 2026

最近的降雨为印度尼西亚坤甸的居民带来了急需的缓解，他们一直饱受婆罗洲和苏门答腊岛大面积野火造成的危险烟霾之苦。

受厄尔尼诺天气现象和刀耕火种农业做法的影响，火灾愈演愈烈，引发了严重的健康问题，包括呼吸系统疾病和户外活动受限。

尽管采取了人工降雨、洒水灭火和消防等措施，该地区的空气质量仍然低于世界卫生组织设定的安全标准。

这场雨被视为好转的希望之兆，它带来了更清新的空气，缓解了危险状况。

坤甸，9 月 29 日——经过数周遭受婆罗洲岛上肆虐的野火产生的令人窒息的有毒烟雾的侵袭，一场及时的降雨给印度尼西亚坤甸市的居民带来了解脱。

大火肆虐婆罗洲和附近的苏门答腊岛大片泥炭地和森林地区，由此产生的烟雾也飘向邻国马来西亚和新加坡。

据官员称，浓重的雾霾限制了坤甸市（人口约70万）的户外活动，学校被迫关闭，自上个月以来，该地区已记录了数千例呼吸道疾病病例。

家庭主妇莉莉丝·苏里亚尼说，最近几天的降雨带来了令人欣慰的缓解，她一直担心雾霾对孩子们的健康造成影响。

“雨后，我立刻感觉到了不同。空气更清新了，能见度也更高了，”这位43岁的男子告诉法新社。

23岁的大学生乌雷·罗萨·费布里安蒂表示，“这场雨意义重大……不仅可以降温，还能让人看到情况开始好转的希望”。

“我认为这是上帝的恩赐。”

印尼已在受灾地区部署了消防员和志愿者，并采用了人工降雨和水弹灭火等措施，但收效甚微。

据总部位于瑞士的空气质量监测机构 IQAir 的数据显示，今天坤甸的 PM2.5 污染水平一度超过世界卫生组织安全限值的 23 倍以上。

本月初，该市 PM2.5 浓度超过建议上限的 100 倍。

PM2.5颗粒非常小，可以进入肺部深处甚至血液，对健康造成潜在的严重后果。

印度尼西亚在旱季经常遭受野火侵袭，婆罗洲的旱季通常在 7 月至 9 月之间达到高峰。

今年火灾加剧的部分原因是厄尔尼诺现象，预计这将是自四十年前有可比记录以来最强烈的厄尔尼诺现象之一。

厄尔尼诺现象通常会给印度尼西亚带来严重的干旱。

专家还指出，刀耕火种的土地清理方式改变了原本天然耐火的地貌。——法新社

朝鲜否认韩国对非军事区致命地雷爆炸事件的指控

内塔尼亚胡被竞争对手指责在选举前发出袭击警告是“散布恐慌”。

特朗普支持人工智能行业自我监管的承诺。

马哈迪医生入院观察

马来西亚谴责以色列定居者袭击阿克萨清真寺，敦促联合国采取行动

槟城在2026年上半年吸引了285,400名医疗游客，收入达6.018亿令吉。