REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SAMPIT -- The number of hotspots in the East Kotawaringin District (Central Kalimantan) is increasing once again, a development attributed to a rather long spell of the dry season.

"We have predicted that the monsoon will arrive by early November, and that the month of October will see no rain at all," Head of Haji Asan Sampit's Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) Yulida Warni stated here on Thursday.

Based on the BMKG's satellite observation, 65 hotspots had been detected in East Kotawaringin. There were 14 hotspots in Kotabesi subdistrict, Mentawa Baru Ketapang had eight hotspots, North Mentaya Hilir 12 hotspots, Mentaya Hulu two hotspots, Seranau 19 hotspots, Telawang three hotspots, Teluk Sampit four hotspots, while South Mentaya Hilir, Parenggean and Pulau Hanaut had one hotspot each.

"We have urged everyone living near these hotspots to stay aware of this situation, since a fire can occur anytime at these locations," she stated.

Apart from the hotspots in East Kotawaringin, she added, such hotspots were also increasing in number in the nearby district. In Seruyan, nine hotspots were observed while 56 hotspots were detected in Katingan, one in Katingan Kuala and 52 in Mendawai.

The thick haze also reduced visibility in Sampit. As per the BMKG's data, visibility was only around 300 to 400 meters.

The wind also influenced how thick the haze was at any given place, Yulida stated.

"We cannot jump to any conclusions too fast on whether it (the haze) came from some other place or originated here. The reason for the haze was the fires that could be burning deep below the surface," Yulida explained.

As for the weather forecast for the Sampit region, tomorrow will remain cloudy and smoky. The wind would blow from southeast to south at a speed of 5-14km/hour. The temperature will be between 23-33 Celsius, humidity 50-96 percent, and waves will rise to a height of 2.0-4.0 meters.

Meanwhile, East Kotawaringin's local government has extended the emergency period until October 15th. The thick haze was why the local government decided to extend the emergency period.

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