A city in Indonesia has sent "oxygen buses" to assist residents severely affected by forest fire smoke that is covering Indonesia and drifting into neighboring countries.
Foreign news agencies reported on 27 Oct 2026 that the local government of Palangkaraya city on Borneo island dispatched white-and-blue "oxygen buses" equipped with oxygen tanks and staffed by medical personnel to help residents suffering respiratory problems caused by the months-long forest fire smoke crisis covering the country.
The Central Kalimantan Provincial Public Health Office posted on Instagram that the oxygen buses aim to "make oxygen more accessible to the public, especially those with respiratory issues or those needing supplemental oxygen amid unsafe air quality conditions." Oxygen is administered through nasal tubes for sessions lasting 5–10 minutes each.
Yuda, a medical staff member on the bus, revealed that most people seeking services on the bus experience "severe coughing or breathing difficulties."
Meanwhile, a 31-year-old local resident named Purnasari described her symptoms: "These days, when I go outside, I feel chest tightness and cough... This morning, the yellow smoke was so thick it made breathing difficult and caused chest tightness."
Indonesia is facing its worst forest fire crisis in over a decade on Sumatra and Borneo islands, primarily due to the El Niño phenomenon causing drought and soaring temperatures, which have led to widespread forest fires. The smoke covers not only Indonesia but has also drifted to Malaysia and Singapore.
Air pollution in some areas of Borneo and Sumatra has become so severe that the air quality index has surpassed 1,000. Normally, an index above 300 is already considered hazardous to health.
Indonesia's Ministry of Health reported that from August through 25 October, around 350,000 respiratory illness cases related to smoke have been recorded nationwide, with Central Kalimantan province alone reporting 31,000 cases.
Previously, hundreds of student groups gathered to protest in multiple cities nationwide, demanding the government strengthen measures and urgently address the forest fire problem.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:cna