Kabut Asap Selimuti Manila Filipina Imbas Karhutla Kalimantan

The skies over Metro Manila, Philippines, were shrouded in haze on Monday (September 1) from land and forest fires (karhutla) in Kalimantan. Several tall buildings appeared to disappear under the haze. Dr. Gerry Bagtasa, a professor at the University of the Philippines' Institute of Environmental Sciences and Meteorology, said the haze from the Kalimantan forest and land fires was carried by the southwest monsoon, exacerbated by a tropical cyclone in the northern Philippines. "The reason why the winds are so strong right now is because of the tropical cyclone in the northern Philippines," he said, as quoted by Viory, Wednesday (September 2). According to The Manila Times on Wednesday, the haze from the forest and land fires in the Philippines is expected to persist through Tuesday and Thursday (September 1-3). However, Bagtasa stated that the pollution will likely persist longer. "The southwest monsoon will remain very strong and will carry most of the emissions from the fires, which will likely last until the end of this week," he said. Jundy del Socorro, head of the Environmental Quality Management Division of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB), stated that the situation was beyond his control. "This includes the intensity of forest fires in Kalimantan, prevailing wind patterns, and rainfall across the region," he said, as quoted by The Manila Times on Wednesday. DENR EMB monitoring data showed that air quality in Manila worsened on Tuesday due to high PM2.5 levels. The Manila Times reported that classes in public schools in several parts of Manila and Quezon City were temporarily suspended. The unhealthy air quality warning remains in effect. "Rain is one of the most effective natural mechanisms for removing airborne particles, which can lead to better visibility and lower haze concentrations," Socorro said. Writer/Editor: Dicky Setyawan Producer: Indyra Yasmin #TirtoDaily "