The Mayor of Pekanbaru, the capital of Riau and one of the worst-affected areas of Sumatra, issued the order to evacuate all babies under six months of age on Tuesday afternoon. Thick smog has persisted for weeks and continues to cause illness and limit visibility in the area.
The air pollution index in the region has hovered above 1,000 for over a week, while visibility in Pekanbaru has fallen below 100 meters on some days. Any air pollution reading higher than 300 is deemed hazardous.
....The mayor, named Firdaus, told local news agency Antara News that the children would be evacuated to a makeshift nursery in a town hall equipped with air conditioners, cribs and a health clinic.