Haze from Indonesia affects Southern Mindanao

A man rows a boat on Siak River as thick haze from wildfires blanket the city in Pekanbaru, Riau province, Indonesia, Monday, Oct. 5, 2015. The haze, which has shrouded parts of neighboring Malaysia and Singapore for about a month, also spread to Thailand on Monday, the first time it has reached hazardous levels so far north. AP photo

DAVAO CITY, Philippines  – The haze that has been blanketing Indonesia since June has reached Southern Mindanao and has been affecting the region for the past several days.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) office based in this city said the haze could have come from Borneo, parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan, and spread to nearby countries like Brunei and Malaysia.

The haze has reportedly spread to Singapore, southern Thailand, and even to Cambodia and Vietnam. 

PAGASA officials said winds caused by typhoons that hit the country could have brought the haze to Southern Mindanao. 

Aside from Mindanao, the haze was reported to have affected Cebu.

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