At the heart of the haze in Palembang, Sumatra

The API level in Palembang nears the 1,000 mark on Thursday morning, with more than 100 hotspots identified.
PALEMBANG, Indonesia - The air pollutant index (API) reading in Palembang, South Sumatra, neared the 1,000 mark on Thursday (Oct 1), recording at 829 at 10 am local time.

One hundred and fifty-six hotspots were also identified across Sumatra as a hazardous level of haze hung over much of the region. However, the recorded number was far less than the 1,585 on Sep 24, when hazardous levels of haze swept towards Singapore.

With the temperature exceeding 33°C and no rain forecast, there was not expected to be any respite to the smoky conditions.

"It's bad. It hurts our throat and contaminates our eyes. We can't see clearly," said 26-year-old English teacher Jaya. "The smoke comes inside our house in the morning, afternoon and evening. When we sleep we can still smell the thick smoke. My friends are posting on social media asking for international help."

The dense haze in the region is caused by illegal fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, set to clear vast tracts of land to make way for palm oil and pulp and paper plantations. Indonesia has failed to halt the practice despite years of pressure from its neighbours.

In Palembang, local residents said they are used to living with the haze which has since the 1980s become an annual occurrence.

"I'm used to it but of course it's still disturbing. It hurts our breathing and sight. I've lived here 56 years and it has been happening since the 1980s. This year is bad but 1997 was the worst," said Pa Benny, a local driver.

"We want to find a safety zone but we are used to living here so we can't leave. It happens every year so we are used to it," he added.

On thursday morning, a moderate south-easterly wind picked up, helping to drop API levels down from 996 in the early hours to below 800 by 10am. The district of Ogan Komering Illir, some 80 km southeast of Palembang, was again the worst affected area.

Besides Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore have also been badly affected by the haze this year, with schools in Malaysia closed for three days before re-opening on Thursday.

PSI levels in Singapore crossed the 300 mark for the first time in 2015 last week, forcing schools to suspend lessons. On Wednesday, Indonesia President Joko Widodo said it will take around "three years" to solve the haze problem.