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Indonesians brave choking smoke to pray for rain as country battles wildfires.
Authorities in Indonesia’s South Sumatra province turned to spiritual measures on Tuesday as fires in scorched wide areas of forests and peatland created a choking haze that blanketed some cities. The prayer gathering initiative comes as the province faces prolonged dry weather that has heightened the risk of forest and peatland fires. Forestry Ministry data indicated that nearly 940 square kilometers (363 square miles) were burned in July alone, including over 20 square kilometers (8 square miles) in South Sumatra province.
Indonesian Muslims attended a prayer requesting for rain following wildfires that burned through peatlands in several regions in Sumatra and Kalimantan Island. The prayer gathering was held in Palembang, South Sumatra, where residents expressed their hopes for rain amidst the ongoing crisis. Firefighters are also working to extinguish wildfires burning through peatland fields in Central Kalimantan, highlighting the urgent need for rain to mitigate the situation.