PONTIANAK, thekabarnews.com—Thousands of Muslims performed Salat (prayer) Istisqa, a congregational prayer seeking rain, at the Mujahidin Grand Mosque in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, on Saturday morning, August 29.

The prayer brought residents together amid prolonged dry weather and smoke from forest and land fires. The Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) West Kalimantan branch organized the event with the Indonesian Mosque Council. The mosque’s management and other religious institutions also helped organize the event.

“Today, we performed the Salat [prayer] Istisqa in the courtyard of the Mujahidin Grand Mosque, attended by thousands of Pontianak residents,” Pontianak Mayor Edi Rusdi Kamtono said.

“We are asking for blessed rain because we have had no rain for more than two months,” he added.

Edi expressed hope that the congregation’s prayers would bring relief across Pontianak and other affected areas of West Kalimantan.

“May the prayers and requests for forgiveness from the people of Pontianak and West Kalimantan be accepted,” he said.

City monitoring placed Pontianak’s air quality in the hazardous category for four consecutive days, Edi said.

The municipal government, therefore, continued remote learning for early-childhood centers, elementary schools and junior high schools under its authority.

“Schools will remain closed for in-person learning until the weather improves. We do not want the smoke to harm children’s health,” Edi said.

Administration offices remained open with adjustments for employees experiencing health problems. The mayor also advised residents to reduce outdoor activity and wear masks, particularly those with existing respiratory conditions.

Regional air monitoring showed similarly serious pollution outside the city. At 8 a.m. on Saturday, BMKG recorded a PM2.5 concentration of 803.1 micrograms per cubic meter in neighboring Kubu Raya. This placed it in the agency’s hazardous category.

The reading was time-specific and may change as smoke concentration and wind conditions shift, as reported by the BMKG air-quality monitoring.

Pontianak Health Agency (Dinkes Pontianak) head Saptiko said healthcare facilities were now recording more than 300 acute respiratory infection (ISPA) cases per day. Under normal conditions, the daily total generally ranged from 100 to 200.

“Our daily ISPA cases have exceeded 300. Normally, we record around 100 to 200, but now the figure is above 300 each day,” Saptiko said.

Dinkes Pontianak has recorded about 36,000 ISPA cases since January. However, that cumulative figure includes respiratory infections reported before the haze intensified in August. The figure does not mean that wildfire smoke alone caused all 36,000 cases.

Saptiko said pneumonia accounted for about one percent of reported ISPA cases, while the number of patients requiring hospitalization remained manageable.

Dinkes Pontianak has prepared free oxygen services at community health centers, hospitals and its office for residents experiencing breathing difficulties.

“Residents experiencing shortness of breath can come and receive oxygen free of charge,” he said.

The Salat Istisqa provided a religious response to the drought, while public-health measures addressed its immediate consequences.

Lasting relief, however, will also depend on controlling active fires and reducing residents’ exposure until cleaner air returns.