September 24, 2019, 09:07 PM
A state of emergency was declared in Riau, Indonesia, after the Air Pollutant Index (API) in the region exceeded the 500 mark, according to the Malay Mail.
An API reading of 301 and above is categorised as hazardous.
State of emergency from Sep. 23 to Oct. 31
Riau governor Syamsuar declared a state of emergency, effective from Sep. 23 to Oct. 31.
This may be extended if the air pollution situation does not improve.
The visibility area in these areas have dwindled to 500 metres, while the Pollution Standards Index (PSI) stands at 600.
280 Malaysian students to be evacuated
About 280 Malaysian students in Pekanbaru, the capital city of Riau, and Jambi will be evacuated, following the declaration of the haze emergency.
Around 160 students will be returning to Malaysia, while the rest will be evacuated to Malaysia Hall in Jakarta.
The PSI reading in Pekanbaru rose to 700 on Sep. 22, and was recorded as an all-time low in air quality for the city.
The worsening haze also caused red skies appear over Jambi, due to a phenomenon called Rayleigh Scattering.
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Top image from Jakarta Post.
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