Indonesia drops dry ice over South Sumatra to combat smoke
Indonesia is now dropping dry ice from a plane over South Sumatra, hoping it will help clear the thick smoke from relentless forest fires.
President Prabowo Subianto gave the green light for this new approach after cloud seeding and water bombing had already been tried.
The goal is to boost air quality in Palembang and give people some much-needed relief.
Fires have torched 900,000 hectares
These fires have torched about 900,000 hectares since January, with the fire season exacerbated by El Nino and slash-and-burn clearing persisting.
The choking haze is not just an Indonesian problem: it has closed schools and caused health issues in Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines, too.
Pollution levels are now so high in places like Kalimantan that experts say the problem could become a global problem.