The smog had spread to Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, The Philippines and Thailand covering a population of 70 million.

On September 26, all the 234 people on aboard a jetliner died when it crashed before landing in northwest Indonesia. Visibility was poor due to the smog.

An Indian cargo ship collided with a Panamanian vessel in the Strait of Malacca killing 29 people. Reason: poor visibility

Physicians point out that the smog can cause a range of ailments from heart and lung diseases to damage to the nervous system, blood and kidneys. Experts predict that the impact of the forest fires in Indonesia are potentially more dangerous than that of the oil fires in Kuwait during the 1990 Gulf War.

Crops have failed in Indonesia due to drought conditions induced by El Ni