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Indonesian villagers on Borneo struggle for water as El Niño intensifies peatland fires
More than 3 million people rely on the Kapuas River as burned peatland and El Niño intensify drought and water shortages across Borneo.
- On Borneo, a severe drought has caused the Kapuas, Indonesia's longest river, to recede drastically, limiting water access for over 3 million people who depend on it.
- Experts attribute the crisis to this year's super El Niño combined with decades of peatland degradation; in Kalimantan, 60% of ancient wetlands have been drained for palm oil and pulp concessions.
- "The water is not where it should be," said Amanda Hurowitz, senior director at Mighty Earth, noting canals lower the water table. The Forestry Ministry recorded more than 202,000 hectares of burned land between January and July.
- Toxic haze from the fires drifted more than 800 kilometers, reaching the Philippines and breaching Malaysia's emergency-level air pollution threshold. Last week, authorities declared an emergency in a town in Sarawak state on Borneo.
- Residents like Sriwati, a shopkeeper in Penyeladi village, now face rising water expenses as fires decimate lots where locals once picked ferns for income. Families fear the prolonged dry spell will make daily life unsustainable.
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12 Articles
Associated Press News+10 Reposted by 10 other sources
Indonesian villagers on Borneo struggle for water as El Niño intensifies peatland fires
Residents of Borneo are enduring a severe water crisis after three months without rain. The Kapuas River has receded to a muddy trickle, forcing families to buy water for drinking and cooking.
·New York, United States
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Indonesia suffocates under severe forest fires with large areas of Sumatra and Borneo hit by fire and huge amount of smoke, which brings exceptionally bad air quality indices, in a condition favored by El Niño. The post As a country is being suffocated by El Niño appeared first in MetSul Meteorology.
Coverage Details
Total News Sources12
Leaning Left8Leaning Right0Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution80% Left
Bias Distribution
- 80% of the sources lean Left
80% Left
L 80%
C 20%
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