PALEMBANG, Indonesia: For hours, Kholidi pedals his rickshaw through the hazy streets of Palembang in search of passengers.
The schools where the 60-year-old usually finds fares are closed. The normally bustling markets where he waits for customers are quiet.
“I didn’t bring home a single rupiah yesterday and it looks like today will be the same,” said Kholidi, who like many Indonesians goes by one name.
For weeks, forests, bushes and dried-up peatlands across Indonesia have been burning, particularly in Sumatra and Kalimantan.
As of Sep 16, there were 5,983 hotspots in Sumatra, of which 4,169 were in South Sumatra, according to the Indonesian Forestry Ministry.
The fires have sent hazardous smoke thousands of kilometres across the region into neighbouring countries including Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
In Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra, the Air Quality Index (AQI) has hovered between 150 and 275 since mid-August.
Under Indonesia’s air quality classification, readings of 151 to 200 are considered “unhealthy”, while 201 to 300 are classified as “very unhealthy”.
Elsewhere in the province, poor visibility has forced authorities to close roads to prevent traffic accidents.
