Batam Shrouded in Haze After Blackout, PM2.5 Hits 190.1

Batam faced another round of disruption after a blackout that began on Oct. 12, 2026. On Wednesday, Oct. 14, the city was covered in thick haze believed to have drifted from forest and land fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The BMKG Hang Nadim Batam recorded PM2.5 concentrations of 190.1 micrograms per cubic meter at 08.00 WIB, putting air quality in the very unhealthy category. Suratman, head of the data and information section at BMKG Hang Nadim Batam, said winds from the southeast to the southwest carried the smoke into Kepulauan Riau. Visibility around Hang Nadim Airport fell to about 1,400 meters. At the same time, PLN said Batam’s power supply had been restored 100%, while the cause of the blackout was still under investigation, with possible transformer problems, lightning strikes and wildlife on the network.