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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Disasters & Emergencies

Kalimantan Fires: 53 People Taken to Muhammadiyah Oxygen Shelter After Smoke Exposure

From Republika · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • Forest and land fires have burned 74,640.61 hectares across Kalimantan, with smoke affecting more than 5 million people and creating hazardous air quality in West Kalimantan.
  • Muhammadiyah's emergency response has assisted 53 people at an oxygen shelter in Central Kalimantan, while volunteers also provide medical services, masks, nutrition and firefighting support.
  • The response says it urgently needs oxygen cylinders, N95 masks, medicines, protective equipment, nutrition and firefighting tools.

Kalimantan's worsening haze has sent 53 people to a Muhammadiyah oxygen shelter in Central Kalimantan, as forest and land fires continue to spread smoke across the island and into neighbouring countries.

Satellite monitoring showed the Kalimantan island group glowing red, with fires burning 74,640.61 hectares. Indonesia's Health Ministry said on Aug. 27 that air quality across the islands had reached unhealthy levels and that more than 5 million residents were affected. West Kalimantan was classified as hazardous under the ministry's air pollution index.

One Muhammadiyah One Response, working through the Muhammadiyah regional command and coordination post in Central Kalimantan, has joined an emergency response with Lazismu and other Muhammadiyah organizations. Volunteers are helping with firefighting and cooling operations while preparing oxygen shelters, oxygen vehicles, field health services, mask distribution, nutrition assistance and public education.

The Oxygen Shelter in Central Kalimantan operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. It is located at the Muhammadiyah Education Complex, Jalan RTA Milono, KM 1.5, Palangka Raya.

— Muhammad FitrianiThe head of Lazismu Central Kalimantan described the shelter's operating hours and location.

Muhammad Fitriani, head of Lazismu Central Kalimantan, said the oxygen shelter at the Muhammadiyah education complex on Jalan RTA Milono in Palangka Raya operates from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. local time. The shelter had treated seven people with respiratory problems by Aug. 30, and the total number of beneficiaries later reached 53.

The volunteer force includes 10 firefighters, 60 medical workers, 30 logistics volunteers and 15 coordination-post staff, drawn from Aisyiyah leaders and other Muhammadiyah groups. The response is seeking oxygen cylinders, N95 masks, medicines and vitamins, protective equipment, nutrition for volunteers and firefighting tools. Lazismu is also raising humanitarian funds through its Indonesia Siaga program.

We are working to provide services that can be directly felt by the community and the volunteers in the field.

— Heru SetiawanThe Central Kalimantan disaster-response leader described the purpose of the coordination post.
About this summary

Originally published by Republika in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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