‘Smaze’ reaches Catanduanes

VIRAC, Catanduanes—The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) here has confirmed that haze from the forest fires in Indonesia is affecting the island of Catanduanes, forcing airport officials to limit plane landings to the eastern end of the runway due to low visibility at the other end.

Last weekend, Juan Pantino Jr., senior weather observer of Pagasa in Virac, told the Inquirer that they had been reporting the existence of haze blanketing the mountains of the island for weeks now, except for the rainy days during the passage of Typhoon “Lando” and a few days thereafter.

He disclosed that the forecasting division in Manila had confirmed that the island had been experiencing a combination of local haze and the “smaze” (smoke haze) from Indonesia.

Pantino said that from the Buenavista, Bato Doppler radar station, weather observers most often could not see the horizon out at the Pacific Ocean as it had been obscured by the haze.

The phenomenon, however, has yet to affect flight operations at the Virac airport, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), as the regular commercial flight makes landings on Runway 06 while takeoffs are made on Runway 24.

There are four flights a week (Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Friday) from Manila to Catanduanes.

“Runway 06 still has a current visibility of seven kilometers,” OIC-airport manager Edwin Soneja said.

“This is still okay, but at Runway 24 it is already risky,” he disclosed.

“The approximate visibility during final approach at Runway 24 is already very low. Hindi na puwede na magpa-landing diyan,” he said.